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| - I have one, gigantic, overarching issue with this joint, this Royal Coffee Bar: Why make a coffeehouse serving really great coffee and awesome cookies and having a DJ set-up upstairs and free WiFi and a sleek, loft setting with extremely friendly service...
....and then never be open?
7 am - 3 pm M-F, and 8 am-12 noon on Saturdays can assure you that I'll never be there. I remember that when I read about this place first opening on Arizona-Coffee.com last year, I immediately got into my car and drove downtown to check this place out. Imagine my disappointment that I end up in this nook of downtown to locked doors and a homeless guy looking at me funny as I stew and curse on the corner. Considering I didn't have any nearby alternatives, I turned around and went back home.
This scenario plays out time and time again with a lot of downtown establishments. I'm just wondering when is it going to hit critical mass of people living there for these businesses to stay open longer. Next year? 5 years from now? Never?
Anyway, back in spring I finally had a chance to catch this place open during Art Detour (they're open for special events, First Fridays, a block party they're hosting on October 6th, etc.). My friends and I really dug it and it seemed that a brother-sister team ran the place (although I could be wrong). My cappuccino was excellent and so was my cookie. Great music playing and the folks behind the counter were cool & hip but also extremely friendly. I'm not kidding, this is one great coffeehouse. I could totally see myself spending countless hours here.
If only they were open.
4 stars.
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