Phoenix Coffee
Right now I am sipping on a delicious cup of Phoenix Coffee's Light Roast.
I love small locally owned business like this, because they seem to actually know and care about what their customers want. The Baristas are friendly, the drinks aren't too pricey, and the wireless is free. This particular location used to house a Caribou Coffee (boo! burnt coffee!) that happened to have a sentimental place in my heart. It was where I met my sweetheart of almost three years. I couldn't be happier to see that a Cleveland based coffee roaster has taken over.
I adore the atmosphere. It is a huge upgrade from Caribou Coffee's rough North Western theme interiors. I can go the rest of my life without stepping into a log cabin themed coffee house. From the lovely olive colored walls to the big plum fire place, everything seems to fall into place. It appears that instead of coming prepackaged like many chain restaurants, this place was decorated for the building that it inhabits.
The clientele is varied. There are college kids, young professionals and people who could be their parents all enjoying themselves. Unlike other cafe's this one is not overrun with Laptops. There are people reading thick novels, writing essays and leafing through newspapers. There appears to be an overall sense of community. As the room begins to fill up, customers offer each other a seat at their table. Practically unheard of at Starbucks!
Phoenix Coffee certainly reminds me of another Ohio based coffee chain- Cup O Joe. And that is a wonderful thing. Cup O Joe is located in Central Ohio, and has brought fierce competition to the national chains in the area. It has created an strong army of customers who know support independent retail in the area, expanding from coffee houses to boutiques and bakeries.
For all of you outside of the Cleveland area, check out the Phoenix Coffee website. They have different roasts available at an excellent price. I also believe that Cup O Joe has their coffee for sale on their website.
