Just today I found a new coffee shop a short bike ride from my home. It's in a bit of a rougher neighborhood, among some run-down businesses, but on a major street. It's a converted auto-repair shop: they have a front door by the main counter, but the entire front of the cafe opens up when the place is open for business, it's an enormous garage door (so when it's closed, security must be amazingly tight!)
The owner is worried about going out of business, trying to be an upscale coffee place in a downscale section of the boulevard.
He needn't worry.
I spent six hours working there today. The place was nearly empty when I arrived but filled up for lunch, emptied, then filled up again with students who must have driven a couple of miles, or more, to get there. It wasn't crowded, the line was never long, there always seemed to be seating for everyone... but the place was reliably busy pretty much all day.
Why?
it's clear that the owner follows the Formula instinctively:
All three baristas I met were skilled, efficient, and friendly.
I tried three drinks, and the coffee is great; the simple stuff is very affordable, the premium stuff is the same (high) price as other coffee-snob places in Los Angeles, but not higher. And every bit as good, if not better. (I had three different drinks! The cafe mocha was amazing, best I've had in months, rich but well balanced)
I tried two items from the menu, one warm pastry, the other a cold tiramisu-chia pudding thing:
The pastries all come from a bakery down the street, all made fresh, the bacon-and-mushroom scone was amazing.
The cold small-plate selection (including the weird but tasty tiramisu-chia pudding) all comes from a mom-and-pop caterer who make everything in their home kitchen nearby—I know this because they showed up, pushing a big battered old cooler on a hand-cart, to replenish the stock personally while I was there. Sweet older couple who didn't seem to speak much English but their Spanish is well-educated Central American (maybe Guatemalan?).
I also bought three of their gourmet burrito/wrap things to bring home, which I'll eat tomorrow. They smelled amazing.
The decor was spartan/industrial, well-lit but not garishly bright, with tasteful pop and world music playing in the background, and not a single video screen in sight.
The wifi wasn't super fast, but it was reliable and free, the password posted openly in large print right next to the register.
Seating was also spartan, obviously inexpensive or even improvised, but comfortable, and thank God, plenty of outlets everywhere. (In contrast, the crowded Starbucks across the street from USC has expensive, custom-designed but uncushioned and uncomfortable seating to encourage patrons to leave after they get their orders. Also, that Starbucks has zero electrical outlets available for patrons, for the same reason.)
Guess where I spent almost $40 over the course of six hours and twenty minutes, today.
(it wasn't at Starbucks)
Your Formula is 100% spot on, Charlie.
Hat tip to my new favorite local coffee shop, Cafe5, in the West Adams District of Los Angeles (on Jefferson Boulevard just west of Cimmaron Street).
Thank you for the tips!
You're welcome!
Just today I found a new coffee shop a short bike ride from my home. It's in a bit of a rougher neighborhood, among some run-down businesses, but on a major street. It's a converted auto-repair shop: they have a front door by the main counter, but the entire front of the cafe opens up when the place is open for business, it's an enormous garage door (so when it's closed, security must be amazingly tight!)
The owner is worried about going out of business, trying to be an upscale coffee place in a downscale section of the boulevard.
He needn't worry.
I spent six hours working there today. The place was nearly empty when I arrived but filled up for lunch, emptied, then filled up again with students who must have driven a couple of miles, or more, to get there. It wasn't crowded, the line was never long, there always seemed to be seating for everyone... but the place was reliably busy pretty much all day.
Why?
it's clear that the owner follows the Formula instinctively:
All three baristas I met were skilled, efficient, and friendly.
I tried three drinks, and the coffee is great; the simple stuff is very affordable, the premium stuff is the same (high) price as other coffee-snob places in Los Angeles, but not higher. And every bit as good, if not better. (I had three different drinks! The cafe mocha was amazing, best I've had in months, rich but well balanced)
I tried two items from the menu, one warm pastry, the other a cold tiramisu-chia pudding thing:
The pastries all come from a bakery down the street, all made fresh, the bacon-and-mushroom scone was amazing.
The cold small-plate selection (including the weird but tasty tiramisu-chia pudding) all comes from a mom-and-pop caterer who make everything in their home kitchen nearby—I know this because they showed up, pushing a big battered old cooler on a hand-cart, to replenish the stock personally while I was there. Sweet older couple who didn't seem to speak much English but their Spanish is well-educated Central American (maybe Guatemalan?).
I also bought three of their gourmet burrito/wrap things to bring home, which I'll eat tomorrow. They smelled amazing.
The decor was spartan/industrial, well-lit but not garishly bright, with tasteful pop and world music playing in the background, and not a single video screen in sight.
The wifi wasn't super fast, but it was reliable and free, the password posted openly in large print right next to the register.
Seating was also spartan, obviously inexpensive or even improvised, but comfortable, and thank God, plenty of outlets everywhere. (In contrast, the crowded Starbucks across the street from USC has expensive, custom-designed but uncushioned and uncomfortable seating to encourage patrons to leave after they get their orders. Also, that Starbucks has zero electrical outlets available for patrons, for the same reason.)
Guess where I spent almost $40 over the course of six hours and twenty minutes, today.
(it wasn't at Starbucks)
Your Formula is 100% spot on, Charlie.
Hat tip to my new favorite local coffee shop, Cafe5, in the West Adams District of Los Angeles (on Jefferson Boulevard just west of Cimmaron Street).
This place sounds right up my street! I'm going to recommend it to my LA friends