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Brew your Ideals

Public Domain chooses to focus on operations and outsource its pastries. Starbucks has since become a revered, albeit cookie-cutter, proposition. But an ideal was bornthe marriage of quality coffee with a little noshing nourishment and community belonging. For a coffeeloving culinarian, it has the makings of an independent coffeehouse career. Living the dream around before leaving and starting his own coffee shop 14 years ago.

Photo by Gary Wilson Photo|Graphic, courtesy of Coffee Bean International/Public Domain

Culinarians with a passion for coffee could realize their ultimate career: developing a coffeehouse concept.
By Jody Shee

WE can thank our lucky Starbucks that

a coffee culture was fostered in the U.S. A trip to Italy in 1983 by Howard Schultz, now Starbucks chairman/president/chief executive officer, changed everything. He experienced the romance of Italian coffee bars and determined to cultivate that third place between work and home in the U.S. And now, 15,000 stores later (in 50 countries), Starbucks gets the glory and
The National Culinary Review | October 2011

He says he most enjoys that he has his own stamp on the coffeehouse. Its independent, just the way he sees the food industry heading. He uses natural ingredients, as in fresh produce for sandwiches and soups. Locally grown is very big. The consumer demands it, he says. Coffee is included in his local focus. He uses 100% Arabica beans from a nearby Michigan roaster, and grinds the beans just before brewing. He believes hes in the center of a consumer trend. For one, in a down

Anthony Stackpoole, chef/owner of Cup of the Day Coffeehouse & Deli in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., worked his way through the restaurant ranks from dishwasher to sous chef, once cooking dinner for President George H. W. Bush. Stackpoole eventually went to work for an understaffed coffee shop that added a full menu. He helped to turn the kitchen

the credit for a renewed coffee passion, trendy coffee beverages, comfy chairs and free Wi-Fi outside the home and office. More recently, it has even reached into the dining-out psyche and added bakery, breakfast, salads, sandwiches and ice cream.

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Perfect Pairs
Why should food and wine have all the pairing fun? Coffee pairings are just as informative and entertaining. Specialty coffee roaster/wholesaler economy, people dont have a discretionary income to spend at high-end restaurants. But something quick and healthythats what I can provide, he says. And if you incorporate natural, fresh, locally grown, people like that. He boasts about 80 sandwiches and 25 salads, all of which he prepares to order. Though some in the coffeehouse business bask in fewer hours than those working in restaurants, Stackpoole chooses to keep his coffee shop open 7:15 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8:15 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, meaning he works 70-hour weeks. The hours are not burdensome to him. Rather, he gets energy from community one-on-one time. He is located in the four-block business community of a small town of 15,000 people. Meetings are often held at his tables. I like the small community here. You know everyone and everyone knows you, he says. He has served on the board of the local Chamber of Commerce and was part of the downtown business association that put him in working contact with farmers markets. Selling made-to-order gift baskets filled with fresh-roasted Michigan coffee, gourmet chocolates, tea and tea infusers, and chocolate-covered espresso beans is another love of his job. I once did a $350 laundry-basket-size as a prize for one of the local casinos on its anniversary. I use a coffee-themed print cellophane wrap and include a business card inside, he says. Its another way to market my coffee and retail merchandise. Lamill Coffee Boutique fulfills his passion for beverage and food. When you look inside our store, it doesnt look like a a restaurant. But if you dig, you see the should consider several things when
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CuLinary angLe The palate trained on flavor perfection can be satisfied in a coffee shop environment. Craig Min, chief executive officer of Lamill Coffee Boutique, Los Angeles, was raised in his familys coffee business. By age 12, he was roasting coffee, and restaurants were clients. He fell in love with the culinary scene. It was my passion. Food and taste is my thing, he says. When he dreamed of opening his own retail front, quality food and beverage had to be equally balancedat a time when coffee shops did not focus much on food, as they still generally dont, he notes. Because he was not a chef by trade, he tapped the expertise of star chef Michael Cimarusti of Providence restaurant, Los Angeles, to develop the menu. Min focuses on beverage development and takes a culinary approach, using only whole ingredients with no syrups, powders or sugars. For example, rather than squeeze chocolate syrup into the mocha, he buys Valrhona chocolate and melts it to a ganache. One of his signature drinks is called Coffee and a Jelly Donut. He infuses a glazed donut in whole milk, then strains out the donut, leaving donut-flavored milk, which he steams. He adds strawberry jelly and a shot of espresso. Its layered in a glass, so you see all the colors, he says.

Coffee Bean International and its Public Domain coffeehouse, Portland, Ore., take pleasure in training others about proper coffee and food pairings. Consider these: South american Highlight nutty notes with breakfast breads such as banana/nut bread.

Central american (guatemalan) Emphasize chocolate notes by pairing with dark chocolate.

indonesian Bring out the deep, rich body with a meat or cheese pairing.

african Point out its bright, fruity blueberry or blackberry character by pairing with berry cheesecake, lemon bar or fruit tart.

beverage bar and all we do behind it. That creates the uniqueness. Others who want to start a coffeehouse

coffee bar. The environment looks like

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Photo by Gary Wilson Photo|Graphic, courtesy of Coffee Bean International/Public Domain

consumer coffeehouse wish list

Just what do consumers want to see on the menu at a coffeehouse? In the Mintel report, Coffeehouses and Donut Shops, June 2010, survey respondents were asked, Which of the following are menu items you would like to see more of at a coffeehouse? Base: adults 18+ with 950

Public Domain is the retail muse of specialty coffee roaster/wholesaler Coffee Bean International. determining the direction to take the food, says Alison Rosenblum, brand manager for specialty coffee roaster/wholesaler Coffee Bean International and its coffeehouse Public Domain, both in Portland, Ore. The roaster started the coffeehouse in 2010 as its vision, or muse, of the ultimate coffee experience combining great food and drink. The downtown coffee-centric Portland location drove many of the development decisions for Public Domain, Rosenblum says. The original plan of offering lunch sandwiches was discontinued because the hub of Portlands famous food cart scene is one block away. It didnt make sense to bring in such a small quantity (of sandwiches) when so many people go down the street and buy
The National Culinary Review | October 2011

With a keen sense for coffee and no foodservice background, Public Domain outsources its bakery and other nibbles to artisans who choose their ingredients as carefully as Coffee Bean International chooses its coffee. Additionally, they wanted the shops aroma to be only that of coffee, not simmering soup, for example. Before opening a coffeehouse, Rosenblum advises others to consider the needs and desires of the customers in the area. If the busiest time of day is morning just before work, consider unique, hearty breakfast items. If the clientele will be moms stopping by after dropping kids off at school, provide a snack or treat component, such as biscotti or cookies, she says. Had Public Domain been built across the river in more of a business area, Rosenblum believes customers would have wanted a different experience, and lunch sandwiches and quiches might have made more sense.

Internet access who bought drinks from a coffeehouse in the past month % Breakfast sandwiches Healthy menu items Lunch sandwiches Fruit and yogurt smoothies Wider coffee flavor variety Greater variety of healthy breakfast options (such as oatmeal, yogurt or lowercalorie options) More coffee drink variety Salads Different varieties of coffee beans Wider variety of tea options Coffee drinks with extra caffeine None of the above 19 17 15 23 19 18 36 35 30 29 26 25

a sandwich and come here and buy a cup of coffee, she says. If Public Domain was a little farther away from the food carts, the company would have considered partnering with one of them to bring in sandwiches.

Source: Mintel/Coffeehouses and Donut Shops, June 2010

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In a down economy, people dont have a discretionary income to spend at high-end restaurants, which makes the lower price points of coffeehouses more appealing.

be a microcosm for what he believes the world will be, in the spirit of unity, all of one family, he says. It is founded on the Bahai
Cup of the Day Coffeehouse & Deli

faith, which emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humankind. When you walk in here, you feel something differenta blessedness, he says. Some of his customers come two or three times a day to hang out, talk and solve the problems of the world. Were not gourmet, just good, down-to-earth, homey, simple food, he adds.

Coffee and pastry pairing sessions provide an opportunity for coffeehouses to educate and entertain guests. Its something coffee roaster/distributor Boyd Coffee Co., Portland, has done for foodservice operators. Dark, rich coffee goes great with chocolate, says director of marketing Katy Boyd Dutt. Make sure theres nothing too tangy/sweet in coffee when pairing with a sweet and fruity dessert. Though traditional easy grab-and-go coffeehouse fare is still popular, there is a consumer calling for more healthful offerings, Dutt says, adding that its important to offer
The National Culinary Review | October 2011

subsidizing the hours of the wait staff, Dutt says. The average ticket in a coffee shop may only be $3.50 to $5.50, so you need a rapid turn of customers. Some have upped the average ticket by bringing in beer and wine. Another way to bring in more customers is to invite groups in as part of a public outreach. For example, invite civic groups or the police or fire departments to use the space for meetings. Community benefitS Coffeehouses are natural gathering places to foster community. That was the dream of Tim Macy, who opened Macys European Coffeehouse, Bakery & Vegetarian Restaurant in Flagstaff, Ariz., in 1980. Coming from a professional golf background, he wanted to open a coffeehouse that would Jody Shee, an Olathe, Kan.-based freelance writer and editor, previously was editor of a foodservice magazine. She has 20 years of food-writing experience and writes the blog www.sheefood.com. A culinary professional who loves coffee might find fulfillment in a coffeehouse career. Youre the front and back of the house. You design your own experience. Its your muse, Rosenblum says. You create the ideal experience and share that with other people. I think its a wonderful thing. Besides baked goods such as pies, tarts, layer cakes, cheesecakes, brownies and cookies, Macys has an all-vegetarian menu of soups, salads and sandwiches with an assortment of wheat-free and dairy-free vegan options.

a balance of parfaits, bran muffins and whole-wheat products with indulgent scones, cookies and brownies. Running a coffee shop is more difficult than a restaurant. The restaurant has higher ticket sales, and customers are

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