Yordprom Coffee

So checking out the neighborhood for coffee I have a few mini-reviews which I will expand on later.

Yordprom Coffee - Great coffee. They use a pour over single cup brew system which is almost as good as french press and you know each cup is fresh. No burners! :-) The atmosphere is relaxing and I plan on spending alot of time there doing paperwork and using the wifi.

Bard Coffee - French press coffee with several unique single origins brews as day. Also good snacks. The staff seems very knowledgeable about coffee and passionate.

Arabica - Great espresso. It is the first place I tried in Portland. There is nice tiger striped crema, and the espresso is mellow, easy to drink.

Zarras - Features C.B.D. coffee which I am not a huge fan of, but its the only commercial shop I have seen that has a hand-pull espresso bar.

Coffee By Design - There are several of theses in Portland. The vibe is very hippyish and not my style.

Starbucks - Just like every other Starbucks on the planet.

The Maine Bean - I don't think these people really have a passion for coffee. I think its just a business for them, but I will give them a second try before writing my detailed review.

Javanet- used to be my favorite in highschool. RIP :-(

Wrapping things up.

Today I spent the morning wrapping up some paperwork at the Beanery. I created some order forms to help someone new know how much to order. I made sure my employee files were organized and up to date, and then rewrote the phone list with me off it. Tomorrow I'm going to start cleaning up around the place. I don't know who will replace me but I want to leave it better then when I took over. Its pretty sad. When you invest so many hours into a job you feel like you leaving a child behind. Only 10 days till I move.

Drink Confusion

Just a frustration lately, but I can't stand it when a customer returns a drink because its not what they wanted, but it was what they ordered. Example: "Can I get a dopio machiatto?" I then prepare a double shot of espresso with a dollop of foam. This is the normal meaning, although for some you mark(machiatto means marked or spotted) the espresso with milk not foam. This is fine except most customers who order this drink really want a Starbucks Machiatto which is at least 12oz. and has caramel or something on it. Instead of the having a satisfied customer, I have an angry one that thinks I can't make a drink.

Look, its not that I hate Starbucks. I don't follow the anti-starbucks mantra of most baristas. But I do hate their naming conventions. Lets face it, they purposely name their drinks wrong to lock in customers. Starbucks customers do not know how to order anywhere else, and since most starbuck names are actually the opposite of the real meaning, most starbucks customers have a bad experience at indie shops.
Example Terms.
Machiatto-espresso marked with foam or milk. Starbucks-latte type drink marked with caramel.
Tall-denotes a large drink. Starbucks- means their smallest drink.
Light- order your coffee light and you get extra cream. Starbucks- Here it means skim milk.

A new adventure....

Sadie just found out she is getting a transfer in her job to Portland, Maine. I spent half my childhood there so I am excited to move. Its a great city. Unfortunately that means I have to find a job. This could be tough in this economy. Anyone know of a good coffee job up there?

In other news, my current shop survived Christmas. Being in a mall, it was pretty tiring at times. My crew was ragged by the end and we had lost a couple, but overall it was good times. We ended the year up 4.5 percent in sales and so far this year we are up 10 percent this month over last January. Not bad. Anyways, everyone wish me luck on this job search.

Its the Economy Stupid!

Things at the Coffee Beanery are going well. Sales are strong and growing despite the recession. I attribute most of this to our location. When starting a coffee shop location means everything. I learned this the hard way with a prior venture. And I am learning this now as I see some other coffee shops struggle while mine does well. When picking a location try to find one near a variety of businesses or near a recession proof area. Having a strong anchor such as a nearby college, military base, government building etc... can make a huge difference. Focusing on quality is also highly important in a recession. People have less money to spend and are picky about what they spend it on.

A Long Overdue Update....

I left Tunnel City Coffee in April 2008 to return to the Coffee Beanery. I currently manage a Coffee Beanery store in Colonie Center Mall in Albany, NY. I am also going to school part time towards a degree in history. I have decided to re-gear my blog towards coffee professionals and those who follow the coffee industry.

I am travelling around.