Jake’s Brew Bar, Littleton CO

Barista Matt (GREAT guy!) Hand-labeling Jake’s to-go cups.

Who gets to hold the baby?

Looking onto Main Street, Littleton, CO

In honor of Jake.

Isn’t it great to be local?

Jake’s Brew Bar … is a “brew” bar serving brewed coffee and brewed beer!  Clever, eh?  They have been open about 12 months, and today have tons of business walking through the doors in the revitalized Main Street of Downtown Littleton, Colorado.

Barista Matt was gracious from the moment I walked in the door, offering a friendly smile with a kind demeanor.  He made me feel at home for the afternoon I spent in the front window writing and blogging.

They have chosen two different local roasters as their coffee vendors: Novo Coffee and Corvus Coffee; both are well respected roasters in Colorado.

Some coffeehouses are heavy on one type of customer or the other; you may see mostly students or a lot of artists.  This place seemed to draw a nice blend of the community with folks chatting with each other comparing qualities of local craft beer and a few folks sitting at their computers sending last minute emails on a Friday afternoon.

Jake’s was named after the owner’s father, Jacob Barth.  He is from Albuquerque, NM and served in the Army during of WWII.  Owners, Janie and her daughter, Vanessa, also own a wine bar around the corner off of Main St. called Katie’s ~ named after her mother.

It is a family affair!  Step in during the Western Welcome Week coming up this summer.

Luvin’ local, Lisa

Jake’s Brew Bar

2540 W. Main Street

Littleton, CO 80120

(303) 996-1006

http://www.jakesbrewbar.com

Our ultimate vision: to keep the small, local independents alive and THRIVING!

Paris on the Platte’s Sidewalk Sandwich Sign in LoDo, Denver

I had a long conversation yesterday with a coffeehouse owner about the business of owning a coffeehouse … you know, the challenges associated with keeping it going on a daily basis.  ”The margin in coffee is just so low”, he said.

His coffeehouse has been in Denver for over 20 years and also has experience in fine dining.  He has chosen to diversify his offerings to include alcohol and live music in the evenings.  The location of the coffeehouse used to be a popular destination, but now sits on a very busy neighborhood street and feels it is lost in the shuffle.

He indicated these as his biggest challenges:

1. Keeping overhead low; especially getting reasonable pricing on dry goods and condiments from suppliers
2. Attracting and keeping knowledgeable, involved baristas
3. Staying abreast of the growing, changing coffee culture both locally and globally in the midst of a 7-day work week
4. Finding that niche again: offering unique products, services that keep customers returning

This is where I’d love to help by creating a community of coffeehouse owners  to support each other, where they can build camaraderie and brainstorm ideas.  Where I could assist them in building a co-op to purchase products and services that help their bottomline while maintaining a thriving local economy.  Let’s just do it!

Contact me at lisa@thelocalcoffeehouse.com if you’d like to find out more about my vision.

Luvin’ Local, Lisa

Panama’s in Seward, Nebraska

Panama’s had people galore!  Every room was full of chatty patrons enjoying their Friday evening.

They even have a drive-thru on their downtown corner spot.

These must be the non-high-school-football-luvin’ folks as there was a game being piped through the parking lot speakers of the neighboring grocery store in pure Nebraska style!  They love their football out there.

Home of the Cornhuskers, Lincoln NE is about 30 miles away from Seward.  That is where they get their coffee.

Yay, locavores!

Peace, Lisa

The Unseen Bean, Boulder, CO

Owned by a blind man

The Unseen Bean coffee shop in Boulder, CO has been around for about 6 years.  It’s a quaint cafe just north of the popular Pearl Street Mall near the University of Colorado campus.

I got to Boulder early this morning to take my son to work for the Bolder Boulder 10k run.  I had to wait a couple of hours for it to open.  I was there years ago and met Jerry, so I wanted to take some photos and post about him while in Boulder today.  Here is what I saw on the door:

Indie coffeehouses understand when you get stuck in the Bolder Boulder 10k traffic.

I just had to laugh!

Jerry opened his roasting company in 2004 then the coffeehouse 4 years later.  And is in the process of relocating his roastery to a larger facility in Lafayette, CO.  Rumor has it that he will have a second shop on site.

The Unseen Bean

5100 Broadway

Boulder, CO 80302

(303) 447-2326

http://www.theunseenbeen.com

 

Allie’s Philosophy Espresso, Lincoln City, OR

I’m not on the road right now, just home in Denver enjoying the hourly weather changes hoping it’s nice & sunny when I go to the Colorado Rockies v. Arizona Diamondbacks day game on Wednesday.

Alice’s Philosophy Espresso, Lincoln City, OR

However, I have friends that are travelling and will occasionally send me a photo of a coffeehouse they meet.  Each one is special and expresses a bit of the owner’s personality.  This one is from Doug.  He goes to the Oregon Coast once a year to breath in some of the best air on the planet (lucky man).

I visited their Facebook page and discovered the owner is 24 year-old  Allie.  She opened the doors in 2011 and loves philosophy so much that she “created an espresso business to implement a main marketing concept of developing exciting and interactive philosophical thought and conversation.”

Thanks for being uniquely you, Allie!!  My next journey on Highway 101 will include a stophere.

Allie’s Philosophy Espresso

5998 SE Highway 101

Lincoln City, OR 97367

(541) 994-0002

Allie’sPhilosphy Espresso Facebook Page

 

Peace, Lisa