Specialty Coffee Retailer is a publication for owners, managers and employees of retail outlets that sell specialty coffee. Its scope includes best sales practices, supplies, business trends and anything else to assist the small coffee retailer.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/33234
THUNDERBIRD COFFEE, Austin, Texas A coff ee shop’s vibe is essential to its success. Developing a vibe involves getting the right mix of atmosphere, events, and people. At Th underbird Coff ee in Austin those elements are in place, but one more key element is added: Th e shop serves beer—good beer—in addition to great coff ee. “Beer and coff ee mix quite well,” says Ryan McElroy, Th underbird’s owner. “Th e change in vibe with beer and coff ee is marked. Serving beer produces a more vibrant atmosphere in the evenings. Serving alcohol allows us to serve our community for more of the day, which is important to us.” McElroy opened the fi rst of Th underbird’s two locations in November 2006. He had recently moved back to Austin, his hometown, aſt er teaching English to business executives in Mexico City, and was seeking to start a business. He had worked as a barista in college, so a coff ee shop made sense. He found a former gas station in the Brentwood neighborhood of Austin that seemed ideal for a coff ee shop. He knew the neighborhood well because his grandmother had lived there for 30 years. Th e gas station building, which was nearly 60 years old, had concrete fl oors, 13-foot ceilings, and lots of large windows. “Not knowing at all what I was doing, I jumped in,” McElroy says. “Th ankfully, it worked out.” McElroy knew making the right vibe was essential to success, and serving quality beer was in the plan from the beginning. Patrons don’t look for Miller High Life or Coors on this menu—it’s all top-fl ight microbrews, such as 512 Pecan Porter, Live Oak Hefeweizen, and Breckenridge 471 IPA. Th e high quality brews match the clientele, McElroy feels: “Th e type of people our shop attracts, the person who is really caring about what they consume, isn’t going to drink a 38 | June 2011 • www.specialty-coffee.com BY ED AVIS traditional cappuccino and then down a case of Bud Light.” About a year aſt er opening the Brentwood location, McElroy was joined by business partner Chris Cusack. “Chris coming on was a huge piece of [our success], as we balance each other well and we each bring something unique to the table.” Shortly aſt erward, Cusack and McElroy learned that a couple who ran another coff ee shop in town was getting divorced and wanted out of the business. Th ey sensed opportunity and bought the shop. “It was an adventure in the beginning, what with now running two stores and trying to build up the new one,” McElroy says. “But again, happily it worked out for the best.” Th e new location is in an old brick house with hardwood fl oors, a charming old-house fl oor plan, and lots of windows. Th e lush yard and trees further add to the atmosphere. Both locations serve a menu heavy on locally sourced items, such as Tacodeli tacos and a variety of pastries from local bakers. A particularly popular lunch item is a grilled chicken panino with chipotle pesto. “With our food, our main goal is to off er items that let people stay at Tbird longer and grow more deeply into our community,” McElroy says. “We don’t like the idea of people having to leave to get a decent bite.” Th e combo of great food, charming atmosphere and quality EQUIPMENT: beer makes the vibe at Th underbird exactly what McElroy was seeking. “One of our main goals is to deliver quality without snobbery,” he says. “You will not fi nd any off -putting coff ee elitism in our stores. Everyone is welcomed.” SCR La Marzocco GB/5 espresso machine Mahlkonig K30 grinder Bodum Columbia press pots Th underbird Coff ee thunderbirdcoff ees@gmail.com www.thunderbirdcoff ee.com