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/35520
COFFEE CROSSING New Albany, Indiana I n the little southern Indiana town of New Albany, just a 15-minute drive from downtown Louisville, sits a bustling coff ee shop that attracts customers from all walks of life. You’re as likely to fi nd a group of teens having a chat as a couple of business people meeting to discuss their latest project. Th e interior of the café entices visitors to sit for a while in comfortable armchairs circled around a rectangular stone fi replace. Toward the front half sit café-style tables that seat two or four people. Th e chairs are simple black iron backs with wooden seats. Owner Alan Butts was inspired to create the interior from a simple vision. “I designed the shop around one chair near the fi replace. Th at chair was where I planned to do my daily devotions, read and just take it easy. Of course that never happens!” Th e store’s friendly environment may be the reason about 150,000 people a year come through the doors or drive-thru and why Butts doesn’t get many much time to sit in that armchair. Th e neutral colors of the tile and tables are simple and inviting. However, the plaid armchairs with hints of orange and gold, paintings, bookcases and small lamps give the store a homey feel. Th e bright lighting of the glass cases draws one to partake of a fresh baked berry scone or enormous chocolate- chip cookie. Th e menu off ers a wide selection of latte, iced coff ees and fresh brewed coff ee. For those who also love tea, the café off ers iced and hot teas in fl avors like Mango Mango. Butts said, “We have an outstanding loose tea selection, at least 22 diff erent varieties, from white, green, oolong, to black and even dark and puerh. We also off er herbal tisanes, including six roobios varieties.” 42 | July 2011 • www.specialty-coffee.com BY LORI SOARD Alan Butts has trained his employees well. Th ey greet every customer with such warmth that it is little surprise their mission statement is to off er the “friendliest imaginable” staff . Th is is what makes people want to return, along with a delicious selection of roasted coff ee blends that rival those of national franchises. As I sit with my two closest friends chatting about which coff ees we love, I sip on a very reasonable $1.89 large size iced Mango Mango tea. My friends enjoy their personal favorites in regular size, which is medium, White Mocha Latte ($3.35) and plain black coff ee ($1.69). Th e café also off ers seasonal favorites, called Signature Drinks, such as Santa Crossing and Miami Mocha. Although it is a quiet Monday night, Coff ee Crossing draws a couple of groups of students, a woman working on her laptop on the free Wi-Fi and four diff erent groups of friends. Th e gentle chatter of good companionship fi lls the place and lends to the welcoming atmosphere. People wind in and out, getting coff ee to go or sometimes sitting for a bit. “I always wanted a family room warmth to the shop. It should feel like the place you really want to be. We have free Wi-Fi and our chairs have good padding, so it is pretty easy to spend a lot of time there,” said Alan Butts. EQUIPMENT: Dillanos Coffee roaster Nuova Simonelli Aurila espresso machine Coff ee Crossing is located at 4212 Charlestown Road in New Albany, Ind. It is directly across from Northside Church and in front of Meijer. Th e café is open Monday through Saturday at 6:30 a.m. Closing time Monday through Th ursday is 10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:30 p.m. Sunday hours are 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Nuova Simonelli MDX grinder Fetco cbs 2052-e brewing machine Vitamix touch and go blender Coff ee Crossing www.coff eecrossing.com