Good morning... What can I get for you?Well, now that I've greeted you within 30 seconds, given you eye contact and Connected, Discovered and Responded to you... I'm gonna give you a story about where Pat Nerr used to get his favorite cup of coffee. I guarantee you that it will bring a tear to your eye.
Like many of you store partners, I didn't always drink the beans from Starbucks. I too imbibed at other joints. When I first started at SBUX, I'd frequently roll down to Tony's Coffee in Fairhaven (on my bike) for a Cafe' au lait and a piece of lemon-poppy seed cake... Now a few years ago... after I'd made my way to corporate, I'd gone back to rowing in the mornings and on my way to work our entire boat would stop at a place called Hines Public Market Coffee (pictured above) They had a roaster in the lobby. I say "Lobby" like the place was big, but really there was a makeshift counter to hold the bar, enough room for the roaster, a couch and 2 tables with chairs. The rule there was whoever sits on the couch, has to say "NICE ASS" as a customer left. That was the way of the shop. But I digress... They had the best espresso EVER. Their roasting machine was actually one of Starbucks first roasting machines. A small-batch roaster... and it created MAGIC. No joke... If you've ever had the pleasure of letting an authentic Italian espresso cross your lips... this was identical. The place was started by 2 guys named John. Talk about customer service... one morning, while on our way to a regatta over in Greenlake, we needed coffee prior... well, they weren't open. Our coxswain promptly called John (who lived a block away) and he ran in (in his PJs) to open up and get us coffee. NOW THAT's a 3rd Place!
So what happened to Hines PM Coffee? Well, It's quite sad... and here's where you'll cry. READ HERE.
They left this simple message on the window:
There once was a coffee shop named "Hines"
With coffee so good, it blew minds
The wrecking ball came
it was a shame
I'm not very good with rhymes
A LINK TO THE MESSAGE
Have a nice weekend... We'll see you Monday for your usual. Oh, and ... NICE ASS!
5 comments:
Looks like they've partnered with Blenz
http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/21140/
Too bad, I'll ber they left some customers heart broken. What an ass!
Yeah... I miss John and John. On a happy note... last weekend I was at the wedding of one of the Hines followers and as they left the reception hall, we all yelled "Nice Ass!"... it was a tender moment.
wow! i too have my favourite spro joint over here in singpaore(also roasting their own beans, but on a 3kg diedrich), and i selectively invite some of my fellow partners over to this secret third place of my mine.
both johns are doing well apparently in their craftmanships and bronwen is still making bar shifts at vivace, and sitka & spruce.
have you found another third place yourself?
I try to only have 2 places in my life now... 3 is just too many.
Besides... I spent so much time in the 3rd place that I ended up going #1 in the 4th place too often.
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