It was only a couple of months ago that I first noticed the construction of the building that is now Dunn Bros. Coffee #177. Being a regular coffee drinker, and someone who would much rather socialize and unwind in a calm, relaxed environment than a noisy, crowded bar, I couldn't help but be excited that a real coffee shop was opening in a relatively close location. I was completely unfamiliar, however, with Dunn Bros. Coffee so, as soon as I could, I checked the company's Wikipedia page. Upon reading, I'd learned that Dunn Bros. Coffee is a fairly reputable franchise which roasts all of it's coffee in-house. This really excited me. After checking out their website, I decided that I'd check this place out as soon as it opened. Those of you who follow my Twitter feed may have noticed that I expressed curiosity about the opening of this new location. Within seconds of tweeting my inquiry, I was mentioned by @dunnbroscoffees with a response informing me that the site had already opened. Impressed by this unexpected reply, I was further excited and made it a point to get in there at my earliest convenience. I must admit, though, that I got my hopes up in a major way.Okay, it wasn't all bad. First off, the coffee: delicious. The overhead menu offered a coffee of the day, so I opted to try the Full City Rwanda. Honestly, I made it through two cups very quickly. The brew was rich and exhibited that natural, earthy sweetness we all crave in a great cup of coffee; no creamers, no sweeteners, just pure, black warmth. Despite the brilliance of the in-house roasted coffee (because of which, I most certainly will be returning,) let me walk you through my ordering experience.
There were only two people ahead of me at the counter, which is not at all something that bothered me. Here, I was given the opportunity to give the store a nice once-over, and visually browse the Starbucks-like assortment of desserts and chilled goods. For such a short line of customers, it did seem to be taking a while to move forward. After seven minutes or so, I made to the front of the line and was able to place my order. Of course I took my own 10oz mug to get filled, and there was no problem carrying on this tradition. I did expect some sort of personal-mug discount, though . If one was offered, I couldn't tell based on the price, and one certainly wasn't mentioned to me. This is when I noticed that the guy at the register dripped with inexperience. He seemed to be scattering about, and perhaps even a little nervous. Alarmed, I began to observe the rest of the staff scurrying around the seemingly spacious prep-area. I couldn't help but notice, at this point, that the average age of the staff back there had to be, like, 40. Am I saying there's a problem with middle-aged folks? Not at all. I do feel, though, that our friends at Dunn Bros. Coffee, with their modern, flat, solid-color decor, wall-mounted high-definition TVs, and massive outdoor seating area (complete with stage for live music,) have attempted to target an audience with a younger, more chilled-out state of being. The staff, on the other hand, just seemed like uppity, middle-aged ladies making coffee in an assembly line fashion. After analyzing the situation later, I was able to conclude that this is what it would be like if my parents got bored, decided to start-up a coffee shop, and then serve that coffee to me themselves. The employees didn't match the atmosphere I anticipated, or even the atmosphere I feel is trying to be created at this Dunn Bros. Location, then again; neither does the customer base.
After getting my mug filled, I moved to the a table against wall where I would have full visibility of the store. The interior was very visually appealing. I made myself comfortable in the booth, pulled out my laptop and began to sip. At 7:30a on a Friday, a steady flow of parents on the go made it's way through the doors. No smiles, no nods; just people expecting to be served. I had high hopes for a comfortable, warm, coffee shop experience, but I what I gathered was an overwhelming sense that this atmosphere was being forced; that this place was noticeably trying so hard to be a big deal. It felt very pretentious.
I realize that this is a new store location, and it will take a while for it establish it's own reputation and a regular customer base. Of course, I will revisit and possibly even become one of those regular customers. Perhaps I'm being too harsh. Perhaps my expectations were set too high for a franchise coffee shop. I'm not going to let my perceived first impression steer me away from a place that has incredible potential. According to the store's twitter feed, the management here is accepting applications for baristas. If you've got the stuff, please get in there and help this place become what it seems so desperate to become.
(Praise the Heavens) This place is NOT Starbucks; please keep it that way.
There were only two people ahead of me at the counter, which is not at all something that bothered me. Here, I was given the opportunity to give the store a nice once-over, and visually browse the Starbucks-like assortment of desserts and chilled goods. For such a short line of customers, it did seem to be taking a while to move forward. After seven minutes or so, I made to the front of the line and was able to place my order. Of course I took my own 10oz mug to get filled, and there was no problem carrying on this tradition. I did expect some sort of personal-mug discount, though . If one was offered, I couldn't tell based on the price, and one certainly wasn't mentioned to me. This is when I noticed that the guy at the register dripped with inexperience. He seemed to be scattering about, and perhaps even a little nervous. Alarmed, I began to observe the rest of the staff scurrying around the seemingly spacious prep-area. I couldn't help but notice, at this point, that the average age of the staff back there had to be, like, 40. Am I saying there's a problem with middle-aged folks? Not at all. I do feel, though, that our friends at Dunn Bros. Coffee, with their modern, flat, solid-color decor, wall-mounted high-definition TVs, and massive outdoor seating area (complete with stage for live music,) have attempted to target an audience with a younger, more chilled-out state of being. The staff, on the other hand, just seemed like uppity, middle-aged ladies making coffee in an assembly line fashion. After analyzing the situation later, I was able to conclude that this is what it would be like if my parents got bored, decided to start-up a coffee shop, and then serve that coffee to me themselves. The employees didn't match the atmosphere I anticipated, or even the atmosphere I feel is trying to be created at this Dunn Bros. Location, then again; neither does the customer base.
After getting my mug filled, I moved to the a table against wall where I would have full visibility of the store. The interior was very visually appealing. I made myself comfortable in the booth, pulled out my laptop and began to sip. At 7:30a on a Friday, a steady flow of parents on the go made it's way through the doors. No smiles, no nods; just people expecting to be served. I had high hopes for a comfortable, warm, coffee shop experience, but I what I gathered was an overwhelming sense that this atmosphere was being forced; that this place was noticeably trying so hard to be a big deal. It felt very pretentious.
I realize that this is a new store location, and it will take a while for it establish it's own reputation and a regular customer base. Of course, I will revisit and possibly even become one of those regular customers. Perhaps I'm being too harsh. Perhaps my expectations were set too high for a franchise coffee shop. I'm not going to let my perceived first impression steer me away from a place that has incredible potential. According to the store's twitter feed, the management here is accepting applications for baristas. If you've got the stuff, please get in there and help this place become what it seems so desperate to become.
(Praise the Heavens) This place is NOT Starbucks; please keep it that way.
