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/60649
SOMA COFFEEHOUSE AND JUICE BAR Bloomington, Ind. BY LORI SOARD I freshly blended juices. Soma Coff eehouse and Juice Bar draws students and professors from nearby Indiana University, but also gets a number of morning commuters seeking out a cup of coff ee to start their day and travelers just passing through the area. Th e Soma Café is located in the basement of Laughing Planet n the heart of the thriving college town of Bloomington, Ind., is an avant-garde coff ee shop that serves unique coff ees and Café, a natural-food quick service restaurant, both owned by Bob Costello. Inside Soma is a comfortable atmosphere with an underlying energetic buzz that invites questions about coff ee and recognition of the eff ort and quality that Soma puts into every cup. "Our average customer is usually somewhat knowledgeable about coff ee/espresso, or at least knows quality when they taste it, surpass the expectations of those claiming to be coff ee snobs." Comfortable mismatched armchairs invite friends to sit and " says store supervisor Lyndsey Taylor. "We love to meet and chat, and the walls are covered with unique artworks that refl ect the free spirit of the place. Vintage coff ee items are scattered here and there, until you almost feel as though you've stepped into an upscale thriſt shop that smells like coff ee. An old console television has been turned into a fi sh tank, menu off ers an eclectic selection of drinks, including coff ee, espresso, smoothies and non-coff ee drinks. You can even get steamed milk with a shot of fl avoring or Apricot Black tea. Th e smoothies are made using only fruit and fruit juice, so are safe for those trying to stay away from added sugar or dairy products. If you're an Elvis fan, you might want to try the Blue Suede Shoes, a smoothie mix of blueberry, banana and melon with an apple juice base. Th ey even off er a solution if you feel like you're getting a cold: Dr. D's Tonic, with honey, lemon, ginger and piping hot water. Aſt er traipsing all over Indiana University's campus with community to come together to socialize and congregate over a great hand-craſt ed espresso drink or coff ee, " Costello says. Th e and a bulletin board lists many upcoming local events. Th e front of the store is bustling with activity, but there is also a back room where students can sit and read quietly. For days when the weather is nice, there are some strategically placed patio tables and chairs where customers can rest for a bit. Th e bathroom is an experience in itself. "Our bathroom is something to behold. Th e commode is on a raised 'throne,' be why they had what Goodwin estimates as around 153,000 guest checks last year. She expects that number to increase. "Soma was founded to provide a comfortable place for all members of the 46 | April 2012 • www.specialty-coffee.com and the overhead water pipes are all covered with Christmas lights," says store manager Jess Goodwin. "In the corner, we have a life-size version of Marilyn Monroe in 'Some Like It Hot.'" Th ese unique personality touches might my oldest daughter during one of her many college visits, we pop into the store through the brightly colored orange and blue doorway and are fortunate enough to stop in when there isn't a rush. Although we are tempted to try the Zombie espresso simply because of the name, I settle on the smallest dark chocolate and raspberry Razz-Ma-Tazz espresso ($3.10), and my daughter chooses a simple Kona blend coff ee called Surfs Up! ($2.55). We split a Cosmic Muffi n, which has pumpkin, raisins, walnuts and papaya. It is light and fl uff y, yet fi lling. I learn that those on a budget can visit during the week between 3-4 p.m. to get half off on some of the drinks. Even though Soma faces challenges being located in a basement, such as small windows, tight space and being easily overlooked, the coff ee shop has developed quite a following, and word-of-mouth continues to spread. Bob Costello has trained his employees about the fi ner points of coff ee so that even the most discerning coff ee connoisseur will be impressed. SCR OWNER: Bob Costello espresso machine, Bunn grinder, Fetco brewer, BlendTec Smoother20 blender, Nutrifaster N450 juicer Ancora roaster, LaMarzocco EQUIPMENT: Soma Coff eehouse and Juice Bar 322 East Kirkwood Bloomington, Ind. Mon-Fri 6:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun 8 a.m.-11 p.m. www.iheartsoma.com