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| - Good Earth, although arguably a franchise, boasts the "Independently Owned & Operated" tag that these days is all too common. They are, however, one of the few franchises that are true to this tag. I have visited several Good Earth locations in Calgary and have had mixed results. Sure, the coffee usually tastes the same and the food doesn't vary much, but the ever important service makes the difference.
This location, found in the relatively new Creekside Shopping Centre, is esthetically no different than the other locations. Despite that, it still retains a very unique feel and atmosphere that you won't find in other franchise coffee houses. I'll start with the music. From what I can tell, the music is usually chosen by whoever is working. I've walked in, only to be greeted by everything from alt-rock to country to classical and even some light metal. To me, awesome. Although I may hate some of the music choices, it makes me feel better knowing that at least the employees are enjoying it.
Service here is fantastic. I enjoy being greeted every time I enter the store. And a few employees remember my drink of choice and start as soon as I arrive (extra large, medium roast coffee, nothing too crazy). They always, and I can't stress how important this is, confirm what I want before starting. Nothing worse than feeling adventurous and not being able to choose. Although I rarely stick around longer than it takes to add some milk, there always seems to be room to sit if you want. And they have a patio! This location is also very pet friendly and has bowls of water outside for your best friend.
The only downside to this Good Earth is when it is busy. 90% of the time, whoever serves you will make your order, which can cause a bit of a line-up as they catch up with orders. You can miss the oiled machine that is Starbucks quite easily as minutes fall off the clock waiting just to order. For some strange reason, despite virtually no difference in time, I feel better waiting for my drink to be made instead of waiting the same amount of time to order it. Maybe it's just me; my patience is fickle.
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