| rev:text
| - I can see that this review is going to be a struggle for me. For starters, you should know that I am awarding more stars than I had intended to at the start. In fact, to review The Coffee Studio at all remains even now a conflict, since I typically wouldn't post a "bad review" of a place at all. (I am all too familiar with the weight these reviews can carry with respect to a business's reputation.)
But after spending some time at The Coffee Studio and speaking at length with the owner, I believe that - despite its lack of anticipated charm - there is a story to be told: a story of hard work and hardship, a story about the proverbial push forward to success against the odds.
THE STORY.
I was fortunate to spend some quality time with Matt, one of the two owners of The Coffee Studio when I visited this morning. For a long stretch of time, he and I were the only ones in the place, and so I used the opportunity to get to know more about him, and what this young coffee concept (just 5 months old) means to him.
Matt told me as much in action as he did in words. I watched as he personally handled all aspects of hosting, barista-ing, and chef-ing. I listened while he described some of the many struggles related to opening a small business like this one. I was surprised to learn that he had only just returned to work from the hospital, having suffered a pretty serious asthma attack just a few nights before.
Despite only having been open for about 5 months, Matt told me how The Coffee Studio had been in the works for more than a year - experiencing (and overcoming) such obstacles as $20,000 plumbing catastrophes, previous-tenant build-out indiscretions, and even a devastating break-in mere minutes after closing up shop one night! (His tone was merely informative, not whimpering or whiny.)
Matt told me about his plans to hire on more help and further extend the business hours so that regulars can have a place to sit and study even later into the afternoon and evening. He also told me about his plans to extend the counter space in his tiny little kitchen, paving the way for a more interesting and varied menu.
I lay this groundwork because all of these details factor into the overall value of a place. The hard work, the struggle, the hours upon hours of planning and disappointment and effort - they are not invisible. They write themselves into the ethos of a place like this.
So did I enjoy that sense of "home" that I look for in a well-planned, well-curated coffee experience? No, I can't say that I did. But did I enjoy my coffee AND my time with Matt? Absolutely.
THINGS I PERSONALLY DID NOT LIKE.
The Coffee Studio is built on an architecture theme. To my admittedly critical eye, it did not achieve this aim. The interior feels immediately messy and disjointed, something more akin to a hospital café than to a hip new downtown experience.
The elements of interior design were utterly lacking, in my opinion, especially considering that Owner #2 is, in fact, an architect. The furniture and décor were unimpressive, as was the display of food (three sad bagels and a tray of biscotti).
An apparent library was cordoned off with a sign that said, "CONFERENCE PRIVATE" (I later learned that the "library" is basically just storage for old files?) and another back office area is blocked off as well, further portioning the already-tiny space.
Eggs are cracked fresh, which I love; but then microwaved, which I definitely don't. (This is likely due to a lack of kitchen space for alternative cooking solutions - an obvious issue that Matt fully intends to address before too long.)
THINGS I DID LIKE.
A long blue couch made a comfy spot to sit, existing in somewhat stark contrast to the otherwise uninspiring furniture options. A bright little study nook with plush leather chairs and a large round table made a good impression as a comfortable place to work or read.
I ordered a spicy chai "dirty" and was impressed with its richness of flavor and legitimate "bite". It was a pleasant surprise set against my otherwise low expectations. I also appreciate the attention to detail with regard to coffee beans: intentionally (and proudly) sourced through fair trade.
Most of all, I appreciated the time that Matt took to get to know me, to tell me about himself, and to introduce me to his concept: not just where it had been and where it was, but also where he intends for it to be in coming months.
WHAT TO EXPECT.
While The Coffee Studio would not rank highly on my current list of local favorites, I believe it has a shot if Matt is capable of hitting his proposed goals for expansion. With a little more attention to details of space and interior design, extended hours, fresher and more varied food options, and probably just a fair amount of time, The Coffee Studio could be an altogether different sort of place.
In the meantime, go say hi to Matt and help support a local business owner who's really giving it everything he's got.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)