Featured Blog Posts - Barista Exchange2024-03-29T10:04:46Zhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profiles/blog/feed?promoted=1&xn_auth=noOld School Cafe Management Skill: That Item Makes Me This Muchtag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-07-20:1688216:BlogPost:12090182011-07-20T13:36:06.000ZMOCAFE™https://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/MOCAFE
<p><em>Operator Solutions Using Mocafe</em></p>
<p>Last night, a perfect <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=44.2055555556,-70.306425&spn=3.0,3.0&q=44.2055555556,-70.306425%20(New%20England)&t=h" rel="geolocation" title="New England">New England</a> summer night, I was talking about cafe and <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restaurant_management" rel="wikipedia" title="Restaurant management">restaurant management</a> with an old friend, a…</p>
<p><em>Operator Solutions Using Mocafe</em></p>
<p>Last night, a perfect <a class="zem_slink" title="New England" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=44.2055555556,-70.306425&spn=3.0,3.0&q=44.2055555556,-70.306425%20(New%20England)&t=h" rel="geolocation">New England</a> summer night, I was talking about cafe and <a class="zem_slink" title="Restaurant management" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restaurant_management" rel="wikipedia">restaurant management</a> with an old friend, a former <a class="zem_slink" title="Chef" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chef" rel="wikipedia">executive chef</a> (like me), restaurant owner and major lines food salesman. The topic of passion was how old-school successful operators <a class="zem_slink" title="Calculation" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calculation" rel="wikipedia">calculate</a> the hourly success of their business.</p>
<p>One of the tricks old-school operators use is knowing exactly how much money each item sold puts to their bottom line. A good operator can stand in the middle of the shop and point at each item sold and tell you:</p>
<blockquote><p>That turkey panini puts $3 to my bottom line. That frappe makes me $2 every time one is sold. That<a class="zem_slink" title="Fritter" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritter" rel="wikipedia">apple fritter</a> drops a buck in my pocket every time we sell one.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Now they aren’t telling you how much each item sells for; they’re telling you how much profit each item makes.</p>
<p><a href="http://mocafe.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/restaurant-2-bw.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-419" title="restaurant-2-bw" src="http://mocafe.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/restaurant-2-bw.jpg?w=300&h=200" width="300" height="200"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://mocafe.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/restaurant-2-bw.jpg"></a>How many operators today, or, cafe managers, can tell you how much a sale of every item in an hour puts to profit?</p>
<p>How do you calculate this? In future blogposts, I’ll cover calculating food or beverage cost, calculating labor cost, and calculating operating expense and how to calculate each of these factors on a per item level. Basically, it works like this (example):</p>
<p>Item Sell Price – Ingredient Cost – Labor Cost – Operating Expense = Profit, or, “What Goes In Your Pocket”</p>
<p>By the way, neither of us ever shied away from revealing this information to our staffs. In fact, we often shared this information, as doing so 1. taught staff valuable skill toward becoming a more valuable employee and 2. motivated them to upsell customers to more profitable items.</p>
<p>Have you calculated the profit you make from the sale of each item you offer? We’d love to hear your opinion and methods of tracking cafe performance.</p>
<p><em>Jeff from Mocafe</em></p>Thank you, Barista Exchange community.tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-01-26:1688216:BlogPost:10142242011-01-26T15:18:25.000ZBradyhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/Brady
<p>Hi all,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In light of some recent <a href="http://portafilter.net/" target="_blank">comments</a> regarding the continued usefulness of online discussion communities, I wanted to take a second to say thank you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thank you, Barista Exchange community, for continuing to make this a place where we can come together to ask questions, discuss (and sometimes argue) with each other, learn from each other, and grow together in our understanding. Together, we've created a…</p>
<p>Hi all,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In light of some recent <a href="http://portafilter.net/" target="_blank">comments</a> regarding the continued usefulness of online discussion communities, I wanted to take a second to say thank you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thank you, Barista Exchange community, for continuing to make this a place where we can come together to ask questions, discuss (and sometimes argue) with each other, learn from each other, and grow together in our understanding. Together, we've created a great and truly accessible resource for each other - a place where people can come any time, from anywhere, and have a seat at the table.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yes, we can sometimes be a rowdy mob, but disagreements that are discussed openly often breed deeper mutual understanding. Yes, members come and go and we often discuss the same things many times but, in the dynamic world of coffee, old questions often yield new answers. Though these things can sometimes seem to be liabilities, they are all aspects of an active, healthy, and vibrant community.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So thanks. Thanks Matt and team for making this happen. Thanks to our "panel" of regulars that come back day after day and post instead of doing the things you were <em>supposed</em> to be doing. Thanks to our posting members for providing the constant stream of thoughts, questions, answers, and ideas that keeps this community alive. Thanks to the sponsors for keeping the lights on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thank you all for continuing to believe in the value of this online community.</p>
<p> </p>
bPassiontag:www.baristaexchange.com,2010-01-10:1688216:BlogPost:7439392010-01-10T19:10:03.000ZJeffrey J Kingmanhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/JeffreyJKingman
The week before Christmas, David Heilbrunn of Coffee Fest took me to Fresh Cup Magazine's Holiday Open House.<br />
<br />
As a former Executive Chef, who did a two year sabbatical studying architecture in Boston, I completely understand having passion for a craft or trade. I'm quite passionate about creative culinary, gastronomy, sustainability and being a superior craftsperson.<br />
<br />
Over the times I was Exec Chef, I participated in a number of coffee/tea purchasing decisions; I was aware of the barista…
The week before Christmas, David Heilbrunn of Coffee Fest took me to Fresh Cup Magazine's Holiday Open House.<br />
<br />
As a former Executive Chef, who did a two year sabbatical studying architecture in Boston, I completely understand having passion for a craft or trade. I'm quite passionate about creative culinary, gastronomy, sustainability and being a superior craftsperson.<br />
<br />
Over the times I was Exec Chef, I participated in a number of coffee/tea purchasing decisions; I was aware of the barista craft, but only marginally.<br />
<br />
Moments after arriving at Fresh Cup's Open House, the owner showed me her demitasse cup collection from around the world. As the next two hours unfolded and I spoke with people from all over the globe - it dawned on me just how passionate an industry specialty coffee and tea is.<br />
<br />
A long conversation with Barista Exchange's founder Matt Milletto, another long conversation with Martin Barrett from Portland Roasting and several conversations with people attending a class at American Barista & Coffee School (from all over the globe) all contributed to a much deeper awareness.<br />
<br />
I'm very excited to journey into the depths of specialty coffee and tea, meet all kinds of passionate people and experience your knowledge shares.<br />
<br />
<i>Cross posted from <a href="http://leafandberry.wordpress.com" target="_blank">Leaf & Berry Blog</a></i>A trip to Papua – Indonesian Papua Highlandstag:www.baristaexchange.com,2009-11-30:1688216:BlogPost:7005962009-11-30T02:30:00.000ZAlun Evanshttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/AlunEvans
<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71826442?profile=original"></img></p>
The endless blue ocean that is the Arafura Sea meets Papua with a violent shudder of breaking surf on rocky beaches. Papua simply rises out of the water like some strange prehistoric animal. Ponderous, enormous, mysterious. The mountains climb endlessly, effortlessly towards the sky. These are some mountains: craggy, monumental- a darker kind of bruised and violent blue. This is a land stuck in time.<br />
<br />
And the Jungle. Having traveled all over Indonesia…
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71826442?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
The endless blue ocean that is the Arafura Sea meets Papua with a violent shudder of breaking surf on rocky beaches. Papua simply rises out of the water like some strange prehistoric animal. Ponderous, enormous, mysterious. The mountains climb endlessly, effortlessly towards the sky. These are some mountains: craggy, monumental- a darker kind of bruised and violent blue. This is a land stuck in time.<br />
<br />
And the Jungle. Having traveled all over Indonesia I thought I was prepared for what I assumed Papuan Jungles would be. These Jungles dominate the landscape, cut only by muddy ribbons of rivers that force their way from the mountains behind to the distant ocean. The jungle is impenetrable. Thick, lush, a myriad of greens and browns. It is almost inconceivable that the same country that has cleared most of Kalimantan has been unable to make any impact on the dense canopy that clings to the Southern slopes of Papua. Looking down over the millions of square miles of jungle, suddenly the fact that tribes were still being discovered here as late as the 1960's makes perfect sense. Roads are few and far between, hamlets (if that's what they can be called) are rare. This is still natures preserve. Still almost untouched by human hand.<br />
<br />
Timika, the first transit stop in Papua, has been carved out of this jungle. It is a small parcel of habitable land with impenetrable walls of trees bordering it on all sides. It literally is a city carved out the jungle. Its main reason for existence is as a base and air-link for American mining company Freeport. They have a huge copper mine operating up high in the nearby mountains. Freeport is one of Indonesia's biggest tax payers. Their contribution to Papua is the infrastructure that makes up Timika as well as projects around the rest of the Island.<br />
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After a quick 30 minute stopover, the flight continues to Jayapura- the capital of Papua. Jayapura was described once to me as being like a “Kebon Singkong” (a sweet potato field) during the day, and like Hong Kong at night. There is no doubt that this city is a small slice of Paradise. It is located on a deep water bay, the inhabitants living on houses over the water and also built right up the sides of the mountains that surround the town. The Jungle snaps at the outskirts of the city, a thick green and blue belt of trees tied tight around the inland perimeter. The view seaward is of islands and the smoky grey outline of Papua New Guinea. PNG is a mere 70km from Jayapura, not more than a couple of hours drive.<br />
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While the rugged geography maybe similar to that of Hong Kong, Jayapura is no Causeway Bay. The tallest building in the city is the towering 6 storey Bank of Papua. The Swiss-Bell Hotel and several other buildings top out at 5 stories. At one end of town is the Port and the area known as Dok I. At the other end, Police Barracks and Dok IX. In between there is an army base, commercial centre, fish market and the soccer stadium - home to Indonesia's 2008/9 champion soccer team. The city is not huge, but vibrant. This is a melting pot of different cultures and different religions. Immigrants from South Sulawesi- Bugis, live hand in hand with Javanese and local Papuans. Churches- many Catholic, are everywhere. A large Cross, illuminated red at night, stands atop the peak overlooking the city. Another- this one yellow, guards the wide entrance to the harbour. Power is supplied by a saddly dilapidated and spluttering diesel fired powerplant at Dok I. Its poor performance means nearly every major building- hotels, cafes, restaurants, government offices and hospitals- have their own generators on site.<br />
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One of the major daily habits of local Papuan's is endlessly chewing Betel nuts. Betel nuts, or Pinang as they are known in Indonesia, used to be a fruit that was the bane of British Governers everywhere. The nuts were chewed and spat out in a gooey mess in cities including Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Pinang itself is green and about the size of quails egg. The customer pops the entire fruit in their mouth and begins chewing like mad. It is crunchy, hard and oozes out a acrid and bitter flavor. The juice of the fruit stimulates the saliva glands- the chewers mouth quickly fills with liquid. This is regularly spat out and between chews the consumer eat chalk dabbed in a sirih stalk. The chalk helps to balance out the acidity in the mouth. The betel nut has a strange effect. It is for sure a stimulant and also it creates a numbing effect in the mouth. The local Papuans think it is also an excellent way to reduce gum disease. It is pretty easy to spot a Betel nut eater- the bright red juice mixed with saliva would make an excellent prop for the “Twilight” cast of vampires. Blood red teeth, gums and an occasional chin drizzled and splotched crimson. The streets of Jayapura look like they have been sprayed with blood!<br />
<br />
End Part 1Barista Exchange Partners Discount Seriestag:www.baristaexchange.com,2009-01-14:1688216:BlogPost:2933282009-01-14T20:00:00.000ZMatt Millettohttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/mattmilletto
Hello bXers!<br></br>
<br></br>
<img alt="" height="159" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71825184?profile=original" style="float: right;" width="400"></img> I mentioned earlier this month that we will be rolling out our bX partners discount series, and we have the first opportunity available now. This first discount is offered by the <a href="http://coffeeschool.org">American Barista & Coffee School</a>.<br></br>
<br></br>
For the next three months the American Barista & Coffee School is offering the following discount exclusively to Barista Exchange members.<br></br>
<br></br>
Any Barista Exchange member will receive the…
Hello bXers!<br/>
<br/>
<img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71825184?profile=original" alt="" style="float: right;" height="159" width="400"/>I mentioned earlier this month that we will be rolling out our bX partners discount series, and we have the first opportunity available now. This first discount is offered by the <a href="http://coffeeschool.org">American Barista & Coffee School</a>.<br/>
<br/>
For the next three months the American Barista & Coffee School is offering the following discount exclusively to Barista Exchange members.<br/>
<br/>
Any Barista Exchange member will receive the following discounts on these classes:<br/>
<br/>
<a href="http://coffeeschool.org/classes/six_day">Business + Barista Training</a> [5 Days] - <b>$200 OFF</b> Reg. $2695<br/>
<br/>
To take advantage of any of these offers please call ABC's @ 800-655-3955 and mention that you are a Barista Exchange Member.<br/>
<br/>
<b>We also have an exclusive discount from another Barista Exchange Partner, <a href="http://selbysoft.com">Selby Soft</a>.</b><br/>
<br/>
<img style="float: left;" src="http://selbysoft.com/IMG/SS_Logo_Banner.jpg"/>SelbySoft would like to help support the Barista Exchange community by offering an exclusive discount to new customers of our SP-1 For Coffee POS System.<br/>
<br/>
Until the end of April 2009, SelbySoft, Inc will offer a <b>discount of $200 off on any Turnkey Point Of Sale system</b> purchased by a Barista Exchange member! Please call us at 800-454-4434 to take advantage of this exciting offer and for details.Barista Exchange T Shirts!!!tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2008-08-27:1688216:BlogPost:1236632008-08-27T05:02:45.000ZEspresso Partshttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/Espressoparts
<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" height="700" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71824963?profile=original" width="700"></img></p>
<br />
<br />
<br />
In Celebration of reaching the 3000 member mark at Barista Exchange. Espressoparts.com and bX have joined together to create the first of many Barista Exchange T Shirts.<br />
<br />
The Viva Barista logo has been screened onto the front of 100% cotton T shirts and on the upper mid back is the Barista Exchange logo.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.espressoparts.com/product/BXTEE1_VIVA/Barista_Exchange_Viva_Barista_TShirt.html">Click Here to order your shirt…</a>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71824963?profile=original" alt="" width="700" height="700"/></p>
<br />
<br />
<br />
In Celebration of reaching the 3000 member mark at Barista Exchange. Espressoparts.com and bX have joined together to create the first of many Barista Exchange T Shirts.<br />
<br />
The Viva Barista logo has been screened onto the front of 100% cotton T shirts and on the upper mid back is the Barista Exchange logo.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.espressoparts.com/product/BXTEE1_VIVA/Barista_Exchange_Viva_Barista_TShirt.html">Click Here to order your shirt today!</a>Killer Café Designtag:www.baristaexchange.com,2008-08-24:1688216:BlogPost:1204272008-08-24T19:23:01.000ZMatt Millettohttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/mattmilletto
Thought I would re post this article from barista magazine by kyle and I. Some great info.<br />
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Café Design<br />
Matt Milletto & Kyle Larson<br />
<br />
Photo by Kenneth R. Olson<br />
Reprinted from <a href="http://baristamagazine.com">Barista Magazine<br />
</a><br />
<img src="http://espresso101.com/files/user/killer_cafe.jpg" style="float:left;"></img> Let’s face it, not to sound too terribly clichéd, but first impressions really do matter. What is the first thing your customers are going to notice when they walk in the door? That’s right, the café itself. Whether you are making the best coffee in…
Thought I would re post this article from barista magazine by kyle and I. Some great info.<br />
<br />
Café Design<br />
Matt Milletto & Kyle Larson<br />
<br />
Photo by Kenneth R. Olson<br />
Reprinted from <a href="http://baristamagazine.com">Barista Magazine<br />
</a><br />
<img style="float:left;" src="http://espresso101.com/files/user/killer_cafe.jpg"/>Let’s face it, not to sound too terribly clichéd, but first impressions really do matter. What is the first thing your customers are going to notice when they walk in the door? That’s right, the café itself. Whether you are making the best coffee in town or not, pulling bodies off the street into your door has to be the forethought of your business plan. You are out to make good coffee, sell it and be able to balance your checking account without pulling your hair out. If the customers off the street don’t feel comfortable looking in on the environment, you can bet they will walk away. Design of your café shouldn’t be more important than the quality of your coffee, but it had better be a top priority in your planning.<br />
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<b>See It Before You Build It</b><br />
The build out and design is of critical importance when you are planning to open an in-line or storefront coffee bar, no matter what size of a business you have in mind. But back up for a second: before you even think of starting the build-out, you will want to have a clear vision of your concept and the theme of your coffee bar, and you absolutely must have an overall plan and budget in place. This stays true no matter if you are designing a small, minimal, 600 sq. ft. coffee bar or a 3,500 sq. ft. community-based coffeehouse. Without a plan and budget firmly grounded in the real world, spending will quickly outstrip your means, and your entire enterprise will start deep in the hole, which may be difficult to impossible to ever dig your way out of. So even though you may be realizing your dream by opening your own café, make sure your design and strategy is determined well before any real construction begins. That way you have a much better chance of bringing your dream to life instead of finding yourself in a waking nightmare.<br />
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The first time you open your doors, you will want your operation to look and feel well organized, clean and inviting.<br />
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The best place to start on a solid design plan is to have a rough picture in your mind of what your bar will look like, and a major step toward refining that vision is to determine your menu. For example if you’re going to prepare and sell food, you’re going to have very different concerns than a coffee shop that only offers espresso and bagels. A couple of other major factors that can influence the design are if you plan to retail coffee brewing equipment, or extensive whole bean coffee.<br />
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When designing the interior of your coffee bar, there are some components that promote good customer flow and aesthetics, as well as creating a unique retail coffee business. Generally, a coffee bar should be a relaxing and comfortable place to be. Often this is achieved with soft and simple textures, natural finishes and more muted colors. Some favorite and often inexpensive components to work with are different woods, concrete, stainless steel, and deep textured accents.<br />
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<b>Get in the Flow</b><br />
Once you have your café’s menu planned and an idea of what you want for a working design, it’s time for some field research. Spend a few days checking out other coffee bars or food service venues that are successful in your area. It is not as important that these places serve coffee, or are similar to your concept, but that you can find some strong examples of a “good flowing” retail environment. Look at places that are busy and successful. It can be useful to even take a note pad to a few different places to write down your impressions. Keep an eye on the flow of the customers in and out, as well as the employees. If the space designed well, there should not be a lot of general confusion.<br />
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Two different flows must work together in order for your café to be successful: the customer flow and the baristas’ workflow. Each requires bringing different variables to the plan, but both must be in harmony for the café to really sing.<br />
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When planning for the customer flow it’s important to build a defined route from beginning to end, almost sub-consciously directing each customer on where to go from the minute they walk through your door. By placing menu boards, pastry cases and other profit centers in the right places you can also greatly increase what your customer sees prior to point of purchase. It’s not unusual in a poorly planned café to find yourself at the coffee bar ready to pay for your order when you realize that there’s something else, like a pastry that you wanted, but feel like it’s too late. Build your café with a strategy for the customer flow in mind, and you can minimize these lost sales.<br />
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First, consider counter space and espresso machine placement. This may be the most critical part of the overall design. Even though this is not a space customers will be spending much time in front of, it is the space that will determine how much time they will be spending standing in line and waiting for their drink. It is also the space from which your baristas will serve coffee.<br />
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If the counter space is uncomfortable for your staff, there is no doubt your customers will notice, and at seven in the morning with a line out the door, a disruption in customer flow is quickly obvious. One should be thoughtful of the natural flow of people around the counter space: customer walks in, places an order with the barista, grabs a pastry, walks to the register. It’s a simple progression, but one that all too often runs into too many obstacles simply from a lack of prior planning.<br />
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Once your customers have their beverages and their favorite tasty treats, you want them to have a seat in the cozy space you have dreamt up. First stop is the condiment bar, a small part of the café experience, but nevertheless, an important one. The last thing you want is a fight over the last packet of Splenda, or customers reaching over one and other juggling their hot cups of coffee. Keep it simple and keep it easy to stock, so your staff does not have to put on a safety helmet to fill the to-go lids.<br />
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<b>Refining Workflow</b><br />
If you have not worked in a coffee bar or foodservice business before, it may be difficult to understand the importance of workflow between an employee and the equipment used in a coffee bar. It requires the right amount of space, not too small and not too big, to promote efficiency behind the bar. The mechanics of drink preparation in a coffee bar are different than almost any other foodservice business. Incorporate these variables into your design and try to understand exactly where to place your equipment, where to leave open space for drink preparation and delivery, establish work areas and define places where interaction with customers can take place and feel natural.<br />
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You will also want to project the volume you anticipate your business doing, and be prepared if down the road you need to add a second machine, or go from a 3-group to a 4-group espresso machine. Often, your space design can greatly limit growth within your menu, be it adding a third grinder for a single-origin espresso, a pour-over brewer or even a prep area for light food in the afternoons.<br />
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You’ll want to place the espresso machine/barista workstation so it is prominently within the customer’s line of sight when entering the café. The machine should stand at a medium-low height, not only to accommodate the munchkin or two on your staff, but also to give the barista a good opportunity to make eye contact with each new customer.<br />
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Eye contact and a smile never go out of style for someone walking into a coffee shop to shake off the morning grumpiness. Your barista can then take the order, be as pleasant as necessary, and send the customer down the counter to the cash register, charmed and ready to settle up. Additionally, ergonomics, also understood as human engineering, are of extreme importance to coffee businesses, which are often high volume/quick transaction operations. Strong design in your coffee bar will pay off many dividends in the future. And overcoming early errors in design can end up costing you dearly. The return on investment of hiring a professional to help design your coffee bar can be tremendous. It’s not unusual to hear how after a poor decision early in a café’s design, a few years after opening, the owner needs to tear out the whole bar and re-design the operation. This can mean lost income, and the extra expenses involved in build out and construction. It’s much better to spend a few dollars up front than thousands to go back and re-design your bar.<br />
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You must also pay attention to how efficient the employee’s work environment is. It will be imperative to create an efficient workflow to minimize the preparation time of products, to hold labor to a minimum and to minimize conflict or working areas between employees. Your employees will also appreciate a thoughtfully designed workspace, as it will allow them to optimize their hours spent on shift, which can greatly increase tips and lower overall stress while at work.<br />
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You can also minimize the repetitive movements and steps that a barista makes each day while behind bar. With a good workflow, a barista will not have to make excessive steps, or will not have to make as many awkward movements to perform their job. In a busy shift, a barista may make more than 200 drinks and if each time they have to take four extra steps to the trash can or sink, the wasted energy and fatigue on the barista will quickly add up. Creating well planned working paths is also important; minimize any potential hazards for a collision between employees or customers.<br />
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<b>Countertop Wisdom</b><br />
Tip jar, pastry case and cash register should be the holy trinity of your counter space. The pastry case should be very simple, clean and easily navigated by your customers’ eyes and hands. Don’t clutter it up with unnecessary signage, and make sure the customers have a chance to peruse the goodies well before they have to pay for their order. Put all the pastries that are delivered in at once, so you don’t have to worry about clumsy staff trying to restock the case in the middle of a rush. This pastry case should be very accessible to the person operating the cash register, so they can double up their duty as money-taker and pastry-slinger. Our other two suspects, the register and tip jar, should be staged with forethought as well. Figure out where the baristas’ hands will be as they reach across the counter to hand the customers their change; that is where the tip jar should go, as at that point the customer is more apt to drop a George Washington or a couple of his little brothers into the jar.<br />
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The counter itself should be long enough and wide enough for comfort. If you plan on having two grinders, a three-group espresso machine, an air pot for drip, and some sort of space for cups (porcelain and paper), start thinking about building a U-shaped counter. In this set-up, the back counter can be for a drip-brewer, drip grinder and other accessories. And the front counter, where barista and register person stand, should be stocked with items needed immediately in service, like milk pitchers and such. Keep plenty of room for the baristas to move in a rush, but the space ought to be tight enough that they don’t have to walk all the way to Antarctica to wash their hands.<br />
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It’s always easier to keep the color simple, like white, gray or exposed brick. But it depends on that original vision you had for your shop and the environment where your café will be. Effective color palates vary according to the larger environment surrounding your business, but as a rule, keep your colors neutral. Then you can use items on a rotating basis to liven things up such as work from local artists. Remember, most of your customers are just waking up, or are on the road to waking up, no matter what time of the day it is, so you don’t want anything abrasive. You want a relaxing vibe in the shop, and color is key to that. Another key of course is lighting.<br />
<br />
The lighting inside your coffee bar is also extremely important and will greatly affect the mood and ambiance of your business. Before putting in new lighting, think about the mood you want to create throughout the day. Invest in a dimmer switch for all front of the house café lighting. This is essential in giving your staff the ability to set the mood no matter what time of the day it is. Lighting is huge, whether you have an enormous aquarium of a window, or are entirely closed off from the world; it is going to affect your customer’s perception of every aspect of your café. People are very light sensitive, especially when they are trying to enjoy some calming time away from life in general, so the last thing they want is the dentist chair experience. Train your staff to adjust the dimmer switches to match the daylight outside, keeping in mind you want the happy medium and don’t want the café to look too dim from the outside. This will make a huge difference in your staff ’s mood and potential customer’s attraction.<br />
<br />
Finally, with your customers and your employees happy, make sure your design calls for space exclusively for you. Incorporate a small office into your design if at all possible. It is important to have a place where you can take care of your duties like counting money, assembling bank deposits or meeting with an employee, and you don’t want to have to be doing any of those things at a table in the midst of your customers. It’s a great bonus if you can design your office with a window that gives you a view of your operation.<br />
<br />
At the end of the day, what you want in a café is a place that you, your customers and your staff can feel comfortable and take pride in. You could travel the world and see some of the best cafés for years, but when it comes down to what makes a café great, it’s the simplicity of its function: provide a great space for social interaction. Keep in mind all of the aforementioned things in design, but don’t think in terms of right and wrong. Take a look at the neighborhood around you, and feel out your potential customers and surrounding businesses. What can you do to stand out in a unique way? Ask yourself that at the beginning of the process and you will surely find something that works out in the end. And remember, if you are able to start planning your design before you sign a lease, you will be better off. Establish your menu and determine what you intend to sell. Every aspect of the production of your menu will affect not only your design, but also all the things that follow—equipment, prep areas, storage, refrigeration, etc. Take into account the customer traffic flow, placement of menu boards and display items to maximize impulse purchases, and the ergonomic design of your employee work areas. With all of these in place you will have a fully functional and pleasant work environment for you and your baristas, and a dream café to call your own.Intelligentsia; The Impenetrable Fortresstag:www.baristaexchange.com,2008-08-24:1688216:BlogPost:1198472008-08-24T02:40:19.000ZChris DeMarsehttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/ChrisDeMarse
I love visiting other coffee shops. It is generally both a great experience in both learning and indulging the senses, and I've always especially appreciated my visits to Intelli. I remember my first visit just two years ago when I was at coffee fest Chicago for the weekend. I was new to the upper echelons of coffee when I walked in to Intelli Millenium Park, and I was greeted by both a friend barista by the name of Goodrich (whom I met up with in competitions just a year later) and my first…
I love visiting other coffee shops. It is generally both a great experience in both learning and indulging the senses, and I've always especially appreciated my visits to Intelli. I remember my first visit just two years ago when I was at coffee fest Chicago for the weekend. I was new to the upper echelons of coffee when I walked in to Intelli Millenium Park, and I was greeted by both a friend barista by the name of Goodrich (whom I met up with in competitions just a year later) and my first glance at Clover 1s. It was a magical experience for me as I was exposed to the capabilities of a coffee shop to create an almost surreal atmosphere and to do so while serving great coffee. For this reason, I gladly revisited that place within the next year, which is quite a drive for me from Eastern Indiana.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to this weekend. Much time had passed since my last visit to Intelli. I had planned in vain multiple coffee-only trips with numerous friends who share my love for coffee, but this weekend my wife and I had decided to celebrate our third anniversary with a trip into the windy city; BINGO. We parked down on Ohio and made our way to Michigan Ave. to appease my wife's need for Crate and Barrel and H&M, all the while my hunger for coffee rising like the sweltering humidity in the midday sun. I knew and could feel how close we actually were to CoE coffee and a nice double black cat in a winged demi. As we made our way back to the car it was all I could think of. We proceeded to quickly click the power on with our Garmin Nuvi only to proceed on I what I would characterize as misguided tour of frustration through the crowded and nervous streets of downtown Chicago until, after 30 minutes of mounting tension, my wife exclaimed, "This is stupid. I'm not doing this anymore today." My heart sunk. We muscled our way out of traffic to our good friend Rachel's place to hang out a bit before retiring to our hotel.<br />
<br />
As we were sitting in Rachel's den talking about the irony of being only three minutes away from coffee bliss I was further overwhelmed by the fact that I was also only two houses down from the Zell residence, where Rachel serves as nanny to Scarlett, Doug and Emily's daughter. Rachel just had a cup and sat around with Doug and Kyle Glanville the other day. Just not fair. Rachel mentioned that the Broadway store was further outside the downtown area toward Lincoln Park, which meant less traffic and easier parking; or so we thought. We held out until the end of our next day, but after hours in Ikea and REI (we needed raincoats for our trip to Panama in October) I had little patience for anything but a perfect visit to Intelligentsia. Proceeding to Lincoln Park, we were surrounded by slow moving traffic and found our drive to take about an hour longer than it ever should from I90 to Broadway. This would have been forgettable and reasonable if we would have been able to find parking ANYWHERE in a half mile radius. I'm sure you're sitting there and laughing by now at both my misfortune and my ignorance of the madness of the city, but I'm from Smalltown USA and don't deal with this kind of traffic. We debated even having my wife circle the block for only a few minutes while I snagged a double or a capp to go (erggghhh), but to no avail. We left in total disappointment and the only thing that we tasted today was bitter defeat. I will go to sleep dreaming of one day taking a train in from the edge of town and walking a half mile, much like a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, in search of the ever elusive Intelligentsia.James Hoffmann East Coast Tour - March 2-15tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2008-02-27:1688216:BlogPost:527362008-02-27T18:30:00.000ZMark Overbayhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/MarkOverbay
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<br />
Counter Culture Coffee cordially invites the barista exchange community to join reigning United Kingdom and <a href="http://www.jimseven.com/">World Barista Champion James Hoffmann</a> for his 2008 U.S. East Coast Tour, March 2-15!<br />
<br />
The 8-stop tour will include coffee presentations, skill demonstrations, barista workshops, and more at Counter Culture regional training centers and other locations listed below. Hope to see many of you at the…
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<br />
Counter Culture Coffee cordially invites the barista exchange community to join reigning United Kingdom and <a href="http://www.jimseven.com/">World Barista Champion James Hoffmann</a> for his 2008 U.S. East Coast Tour, March 2-15!<br />
<br />
The 8-stop tour will include coffee presentations, skill demonstrations, barista workshops, and more at Counter Culture regional training centers and other locations listed below. Hope to see many of you at the events!<br />
<br />
<b>www.counterculturecoffee.com/jameshoffmann</b><br />
<br />
Regional event details:<br />
<br />
<b>March 2<br />
Ninth Street Espresso - Chelsea Market<br />
New York, NY</b><br />
<br />
3:00 p.m.<br />
Live Barista Performance and Mixer<br />
Ninth Street Espresso<br />
Chelsea Market<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>March 4<br />
Hyde Park, NY (Culinary Institute of America)</b><br />
<br />
10 - 11:30 a.m.<br />
Signature Drink Presentation<br />
Danny Kaye Theater<br />
<br />
2 - 3:30 p.m.<br />
Signature Drink Presentation<br />
Danny Kaye Theater<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>March 6<br />
Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Barista Jam</b><br />
<br />
10am - 12pm<br />
Espresso Extraction Presentation<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>March 7<br />
Washington, DC</b><br />
<br />
10-11:30am<br />
Coffee Cupping<br />
<br />
7 - 9:30pm<br />
Food Pairing Presentation<br />
<br />
DC Regional Training Center<br />
1836 Columbia Road NW<br />
Suite 202<br />
Washington, DC 20009<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>March 9<br />
Durham, NC</b><br />
<br />
2 - 5pm<br />
<br />
Three-Part Presentation:<br />
1) James' personal history in coffee<br />
2) Single origin espresso tasting<br />
3) Preparing for barista competitions<br />
<br />
Durham HQ and Regional Training Center<br />
4911 South Alston Avenue<br />
Durham, NC 27713<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>March 11<br />
Asheville, NC</b><br />
<br />
7 - 9pm<br />
Barista Comp. & Classic Drinks Presentation<br />
<br />
Asheville Regional Training Center<br />
77 Broadway Street<br />
Asheville, NC 28801<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>March 12<br />
Charlotte, NC</b><br />
<br />
7 - 9pm<br />
Barista Competition & Signature Drink Presentation<br />
<br />
Charlotte Regional Training Center<br />
1435 West Morehead Street<br />
Charlotte, NC 28208<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>March 14<br />
Atlanta, GA</b><br />
<br />
10 - 11:30 am<br />
Coffee Cupping<br />
<br />
Atlanta Regional Training Center<br />
King Plow Arts Center<br />
887 West Marietta Street NW<br />
Suite m210<br />
Atlanta, GA 30318<br />
<br />
1 - 3:30 pm<br />
Barista Competition Presentation<br />
<br />
Atlanta Regional Training Center<br />
<br />
8pm<br />
Party at Octane!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>March 15<br />
Atlanta, GA</b><br />
<br />
2 - 5pm<br />
Three-Part Presentation:<br />
1) James' personal history in coffee<br />
2) Single origin espresso tasting<br />
3) Preparing for barista competitions<br />
<br />
Atlanta Regional Training Center<br />
<br />
<br />
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James Hoffmann Biography:<br />
<br />
James Hoffmann started working as a barista back in 2003. He started working for the espresso machine manufacturer Gaggia, and quickly progressed into a training role. From there in 2005 he moved to another espresso machine company - La Spaziale to work as their national training manager. He also began competing in barista competitions that year and in 2006 won the UK Barista Championship and placed 5th in the World Barista Championship in Berne. He competed again in 2007, winning the UK again and this time went on to win in Tokyo, Japan and became the World Barista Champion. In May 2007 James left La Spaziale with the aim of starting a roastery and cafe in London. He continues to train and consult, as well as write for a variety of different publications and has an interest in food science, having worked with the chefs at the world famous Fat Duck restaurant when working on signature coffee drinks for competition.Tragedy at Finca Vista Hermosatag:www.baristaexchange.com,2008-02-26:1688216:BlogPost:520692008-02-26T15:08:39.000ZAndy Newbomhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/DaBomb
Tragedy at our farm Partner Finca Vista Hermosa in Guatemala.<br />
<br />
Carlos of FVHfvh logo<br />
<br />
On February 15th, 2008 a tragedy struck our farm partners at Finca Vista Hermosa in Guatemala. For the last decade or more Carlos has managed the day to day operations of Finca Vista Hermosa. He has labored tirelessly to bring exceptional quality, exquisite farming methods, demanding harvesting and processing procedures and intense cross training for all farm workers. The results have been astounding. Finca…
Tragedy at our farm Partner Finca Vista Hermosa in Guatemala.<br />
<br />
Carlos of FVHfvh logo<br />
<br />
On February 15th, 2008 a tragedy struck our farm partners at Finca Vista Hermosa in Guatemala. For the last decade or more Carlos has managed the day to day operations of Finca Vista Hermosa. He has labored tirelessly to bring exceptional quality, exquisite farming methods, demanding harvesting and processing procedures and intense cross training for all farm workers. The results have been astounding. Finca Vista Hermosa has consistently won international awards for coffee flavor and quality in auctions and programs. Carlos Martin lived a rich and full life and lived for his family and for coffee. He was training his oldest son Edwin Martin to take over managing the farm when he retires.<br />
<br />
But Carlos and Edwin Martin's lives were tragically cut short. On a return trip to the Finca they were ambushed by armed bandits and brutally murdered. They were returning with payroll for the farm workers and supplies and food for the entire farm. The sorrow and pain we here at Barefoot Coffee feel is deep and taxing. Roast Master Eugenia Chien and Andy Newbom spent a great deal of time with Carlos and Eddie when we last visited Finca Vista Hermosa.<br />
<br />
To show our love and support for the entire family of Finca Vista Hermosa and to help Carlos' wife Juana and her 11 children Barefoot Coffee Roasters is launching a support fund for their family. From February 22nd through March 7th<br />
<br />
100% of all proceeds from sales of all of our Guatemala Finca Vista Hermosa coffees beans will be donated to the fund for Juana.<br />
<br />
In about two weeks Edwin Martinez (the owner of Finca Vista Hermosa) will be going back to Guatemala and will bring down the check and present it to her. Please join us in supporting this amazing family of coffee farmers. You are also encouraged to make cash donations as well.<br />
<br />
Carlos Martin and his son Eddie were an amazing team of coffee professionals and our hearts are saddened at their passing. Carlos' older brother and original farm manager Lencho and Carlos' son Diego are working with the Martinez family to manage the harvest right now as they are in the middle of the key part of the harvest.<br />
<br />
Buy any Guatemala Finca Vista Hermosa coffee in our cafe or from our online store between now and March 7th 2008 and 100% of the sale will go to Juana and her 11 children.<br />
<br />
---------You can also make a cash donation in the cafe or online right here. http://stores.homestead.com/barefootcoffeeroasters/-strse-89/guatemala/Detail.bok<br />
or on Edwins blog:<br />
http://fincavistahermosa.wordpress.com/Vancouver B.C. Road Trip - Part 1tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2008-01-31:1688216:BlogPost:332392008-01-31T17:59:16.000ZMatt Millettohttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/mattmilletto
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It has been about 5 years since I was last in Vancouver B.C. and my wife and I made the time to take a short road trip up there. <br></br><br></br>Two nights before we spent a wonderful evening with Chris Owens and M'llissa Muckerman here in Portland and had a dinner to remember at Le Pigeon with the addition of Sarah Allen and Phuong Tran. We ate everything from Cows Tongue, Foie Gras, Sea Urchin, Beef Cheeks, Lamb Shank, Local Truffles, and so much more…
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It has been about 5 years since I was last in Vancouver B.C. and my wife and I made the time to take a short road trip up there. <br/><br/>Two nights before we spent a wonderful evening with Chris Owens and M'llissa Muckerman here in Portland and had a dinner to remember at Le Pigeon with the addition of Sarah Allen and Phuong Tran. We ate everything from Cows Tongue, Foie Gras, Sea Urchin, Beef Cheeks, Lamb Shank, Local Truffles, and so much more until we were about to burst. It was a culinary experience I won't soon forget. <br/><br/>On Saturday we got up early to make coffee and pack for our trip ... as we had been up late the night before playing Wii with friends :). <br/><br/>On our way up we stopped at Lava Java to say hi to Phuong and her staff, and to get cappuccinos. Phuong pulled me a capp with their featured single origin espresso, Columbia el Jordan. It was excellent. We grabbed two americanos and hit the road again.<br/><br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71824283?profile=RESIZE_320x320" alt="" height="300" width="225"/></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><br/></p>
We managed to make a straight shot to the border with only stop for gas, which put us in to Vancouver at a reasonable hour. We had a great dinner with Roberto and Danny Bresciani of Nuova Simonelli & ECM, who were in the midst of the food show happening that weekend. <br/><br/>We woke up early the next morning and got a good start on a full day of cafe tours and espresso overload. Our first stop was Granville Island ... what a fun place. We went by the Origins Roastery and peaked in the windows, it was Sunday and no one was around (I should have called ahead of course) as we ended up hanging out with Drew later that evening. All of the WBC machines were still in place and I drooled a bit wishing I could have gotten on for some lattes. <br/><br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71824287?profile=RESIZE_320x320" alt="" height="225" width="300"/></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><br/></p>
Our next stop was at AgroCafe, which my friend Blake owns. He just returned from Kenya, and he told us a few scary stories of what is happening in the country ... Agro was a nice place, with a white FB70 and Clover set up. Blake roasts his own coffee upstairs on a bright orange Diedrich. <br/><br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71824294?profile=RESIZE_320x320" alt="" height="225" width="300"/></p>
<br/><br/>We had some good vegetarian food and then walked around Granville to find JJ Bean. We found ourselves surrounded by the market, it was amazing and we could have spent all day there. Finally we went thru the maze of vendors and cafes and found JJ Bean. It was a small but bustling spot, with a long line of people ordering drinks. I met Murray, the manager and had a great double shot, thanks!. They were so busy that we said goodbye and walked back to the car. <br/><br/>Onward ... we drove up to 4th to visit 49th Parallel's shop. We parked a couple blocks away and Kylene did some shopping at the Boutiques nearby. I walked into 49th and felt at home right away. Making my way back to the back bar, I saw Colter and we talked for a brief moment as he pulled me a marvelous macchiato. The presentation was great and the bar was beautiful, not to mention the glow of the Mirage and the fancy blue ceramic. <br/><br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71824364?profile=RESIZE_320x320" alt="" height="225" width="300"/></p>
<br/>Feeling a bit over caffeinated I left to go find Kylene in one of the local shops. It was about noon and we made the short drive to the Elysian Room. We had a warm welcome from the baristas and I had yet another double shot as we waited for Alistair to show up. He arrived with his son and we had a short chat. I dig their green Synesso, and I guess Alistair has the sides in a couple different colors so he can change them depending on the season :)<br/><br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71824367?profile=RESIZE_320x320" alt="" height="225" width="300"/></p>
<a href="http://http://flickr.com/photos/21177201@N08/sets/72157603816966352/">For a full gallery of our photos click here!</a><br/><br/>To be continued ... <br/>Barista Exchange v2.0 + Updatestag:www.baristaexchange.com,2008-01-25:1688216:BlogPost:284752008-01-25T20:58:18.000ZMatt Millettohttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/mattmilletto
<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" height="126" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71824347?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="231"></img></p>
As many have noticed we have a new header and overall design for Barista Exchange. I will be experimenting with the best look and feel for the site as it continues to grow. <br></br><br></br>we are no longer in BETA mode! woohoo. I will be introducing new functionality each month. A couple things I am working to add soon are:<br></br>
<br></br>
• Google map/location finder. This is a huge task but I am hoping to<br />
create something like this soon. This may also satisfy…
<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71824347?profile=RESIZE_320x320" alt="" height="126" width="231"/></p>
As many have noticed we have a new header and overall design for Barista Exchange. I will be experimenting with the best look and feel for the site as it continues to grow. <br/><br/>we are no longer in BETA mode! woohoo. I will be introducing new functionality each month. A couple things I am working to add soon are:<br/>
<br/>
• Google map/location finder. This is a huge task but I am hoping to<br />
create something like this soon. This may also satisfy my/others want to have<br />
a search by location feature on the site.<br/><br/>• New and improved Video Browser function. This will allow users to watch videos without having to navigate thru multiple pages. Also, it will be another fun way for our sponsors to get more exposure. <br/>
<br/>
• Super Message Center - Instantly reach anyone who is online across<br />
your network and send a message or chat privately. Can also track (and<br />
map) who WAS online last and when!<br/>
<br/>
• Member to Member Exchange- Offer items for sale or trade amongst trusted members and friends!<br/><br/>If you have any suggestions or comments please feel free to send me a message. <br/>
<br/>
- Matt<br/>how a good cafe ... can be like a good blogtag:www.baristaexchange.com,2008-01-24:1688216:BlogPost:278432008-01-24T23:14:16.000ZMatt Millettohttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/mattmilletto
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.problogger.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/good-cafe-good-blog.jpg"></img></p>
I received an email from <a href="../../../../../../../profile/PeggyGargaro">Peggy</a> of Rock Creek Coffee Roasters this afternoon and thought I'd share the link. It is interesting how the author compares what people may be looking for in a cafe, to what they may also be looking for in a blog or website. <br></br><br></br>After reading the post I was curious to apply some to Barista Exchange ... first impression, friendly environment, interaction with the…
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.problogger.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/good-cafe-good-blog.jpg"/></p>
I received an email from <a href="../../../../../../../profile/PeggyGargaro">Peggy</a> of Rock Creek Coffee Roasters this afternoon and thought I'd share the link. It is interesting how the author compares what people may be looking for in a cafe, to what they may also be looking for in a blog or website. <br/><br/>After reading the post I was curious to apply some to Barista Exchange ... first impression, friendly environment, interaction with the owner :), consistency, affordable and welcoming are all things I hope people have a good experience with on the site. I am in the process of redesigning the site ... so stay tuned. <br/><br/>Again, all feedback is super appreciated, thanks for all the support so far. <br/><br/>- Matt<br/><br/><a href="http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/01/22/my-search-for-the-perfect-cafe-and-what-it-taught-me-about-blogging/">Read the Article</a><br/>Viamigo - The worlds independent tour guide portal.tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2008-01-12:1688216:BlogPost:190642008-01-12T00:23:54.000ZMatt Millettohttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/mattmilletto
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I have known <a href="http://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/Viamigo">Jeffrey Goldsmith</a> for a few years now, meeting him first at a Las Vegas Coffee Fest Tradeshow. At that time he was promoting his new book <a href="http://cafehaiku.com/">Cafe Haiku</a>, which some of you may know and love, and was getting his feet wet in the world of coffee. His book was a success and he spent a while promoting poetry readings in cafes around the US.…
<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/71823936?profile=RESIZE_320x320" alt="" height="260" width="300"/></p>
I have known <a href="http://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/Viamigo">Jeffrey Goldsmith</a> for a few years now, meeting him first at a Las Vegas Coffee Fest Tradeshow. At that time he was promoting his new book <a href="http://cafehaiku.com/">Cafe Haiku</a>, which some of you may know and love, and was getting his feet wet in the world of coffee. His book was a success and he spent a while promoting poetry readings in cafes around the US. <br/><br/>Since then I have been able to follow a couple of his new ventures, and we friendly bounce ideas off of each other during our commutes to and from work. <br/><br/>His latest effort is a website called <a href="http://viamigo.com/">Viamigo</a> which is a global portal for people who are interested in either traveling to any city and looking for the REAL experience. You can sign up as, or search for, a tour guide in hundreds of places. <br/><br/>I love how indy this site is, and what it offers to the adventurous traveler who wants to break out of the usual tourist mode. You can create your own Anthony Bourdain style trip to the far ends of the earth, and know someone once you get there. <br/><br/>I also posted about this site in the Travel section of the <a href="../../../../../../../forum/topic/show?id=1688216%3ATopic%3A19042">baristaexchange forum</a>. <br/><br/>Check out the site, sign up to be a guide, or use it the next time you are traveling somewhere and want a true locals perspective on that city. <br/><br/>- Matt<br/>New Music & Podcast Player Addedtag:www.baristaexchange.com,2007-12-11:1688216:BlogPost:14792007-12-11T16:53:48.000ZMatt Millettohttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/mattmilletto
I have added a music player to the website which can be found in the bottom left column on the main page. If I am not mistaken, only administrators can upload music, but if you have something you would like to send, I can upload it for you. Podcasts are great, also any original material. I may put a few cool songs up but want to keep it mainly to stuff created by barista exchange members. You can email me a link to the mp3 file.<br />
<br />
Feedback is appreciated.<br />
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- Matt
I have added a music player to the website which can be found in the bottom left column on the main page. If I am not mistaken, only administrators can upload music, but if you have something you would like to send, I can upload it for you. Podcasts are great, also any original material. I may put a few cool songs up but want to keep it mainly to stuff created by barista exchange members. You can email me a link to the mp3 file.<br />
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Feedback is appreciated.<br />
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- Matt