Conversations in a Coffeehouse

                                                                 image:pexels.com

I enter the shop to be embraced by the aroma of freshly roasted coffee and chocolate. The owner , a youngish man with neck-length brown hair , silver rings on three fingers, dark clothes defining the grunge look, dark clothes defining the grunge look, one born to run a coffee store, strolls out of his office to greet me and my teammates . The interview for my retailing class project launches as Aaron, the owner, ushers my group to sit on the cozy sofas.

Aaron Wallace has been working at coffee station for 4 years. This past October, he purchased the store from a Kuwaiti gentleman who brewed the business. Aaron firmly relies on buying high – quality coffee beans, and does not roast his own, as he thinks it will lower consistence in quality. Aaron believes in value added service, or customer orientation.”[we are] improving every semester,” he mentions with a smile.

From afar, the light- brown, rectangular wood stone shopping centre does not scream out, “Come in!” However, the patio outside coffee station holds metal tables and chairs that encompass a petite and amusing fountain .While inside, the burnt –orange walls, silver and black tables, chairs on centre accompanied by a few sofas on one end, and a diner-like sitting arrangement at the other corner provide an inviting atmosphere. The large metal and wooden counter that encompasses the espresso machine, frozen drink and coffee makers, and the pastry shelf might also help bring in clientele.(so that’s what they do in coffeehouses!).An abundance of train photographs might suggest a childhood fixation gone horribly wrong, but this is simply a homage to the town where the business stands, college station, named after Texas A&M University and the rail station that dragged in the victims, I mean, students, these dual entities overlooked the area a century back, much before the eccentric cappuccinos   rolled in.

Aaron, a native of neighbouring town Bryan, declares, “The specialty drink board has helped growth.”These include the cappuccinos described above, cafelattes, and so forth. On the other cup, he expresses that high quality plain coffee is what retains regular customers. He goes further to describe the most expensive coffee beans like Jamaica Mountain Blue, at a whopping $50 /1b.It is often advertised as the “most delicious coffee in the world.”I tried it, and beg to differ. During summers, half the university students leave town and notably divide our young entrepreneur’s client base. Thus, Aaron would like to attract more locals, and has initiated newspaper ads to entice those who do not abandon ship on semester breaks.

The interview ends, but as our project is still roasting, my team frequents coffee station to complete our aromatic journey. Often in team projects, a head of the clan naturally arises, in our case, tall, lean Jennifer sporting reddish brown hair and a striking sparkle in her eyes took the crown with her effervescent, coordinative nature. Liz and Melanie, lean blondes with a “go –get-em “attitude served as the backbone of our task force with their ever-ready insights and analyses. During breaks, we went to the patio to greet the spring breeze; the others sipped coffee (what else?) while treated the tongue with Hot chai. Maybe the Indian world for tea is used to capitalize on its burgeoning popularity , and an English world like tea would be too bland , old –fashioned, too…..

British. I wonder if the chai will be another hip trend that the western fashion gurus will toss away like the henna, or temporary tattoo, popularized by Madonna and soon afterward parceled back to mother India. My group gabbed on daily life: Jennifer’s upcoming wedding Liz’s job opportunities, Melanie’s engaging sister/roommate. Often, I felt like chandler from the early days of NBC’S sitcom friends, here I am with three beautiful young ladies in a quaint coffeehouse, and (isn’t this great) I am just their friend!

As the curtain fell on the project, I went for a solo visit to coffee station. From my round seat below, I could see most of the second floor, and the upward sloping black and brown trail that leads the way. The significantly smaller second –story stores scores of scriptures (yes , I do enjoy being annoyingly fancy ).one of the books resting on a table upstairs Stephen king’s insomnia ,caught my eye , I wonder what this novel is doing in a shop that supplies enough caffeine for a fraternity house showing of a French film by Jean Cocteau? (Vain attempt to sound intellectual.)

Coffeehouses are cultural phenomena that have become an integral aspect in American culture. From the prominent Central perk featured in NBC’S friends, to almost every major town holding a mug hours, it is not surprising to see the coffeehouse juggernaut star bucks earning $1 billion in merely 4 months .This institution has made a quantum leap since the first recorded coffee shop that ran with the ottoman empire, as the sultans savoured this drink in their potential mates’ merits based on the taste of her coffee. As the opera music illuminates the already well –lit coffee station. I glance over at my blond tea server, and ponder the situation. Maybe I will ask for her opinion on the ancient Turkish custom some other time.