Slow Coffee

Slow Coffee 

By Leilah Clifford

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=170072732645555&set=a.107868035532692

About a year ago, I heard there was a new cafe opening up 15 minutes away from me. Upon my first visit, I fell in love. From the coffee, the cafe itself, the customer service- this shop was an amazing addition to the community. This cafe may be small, yet it is apparent the mission it serves is not. 

https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/slow-coffee-weymouth-

town?select=j87yS5Ni_moVK7oLago4XQ                                  

Being located next door to a movie theatre as well as within walking distance of South Shore Hospital allows this business to stay busy. For this assignment, I went to this cafe on a Monday morning- a day and time I typically would not visit. Visiting on a different day and time than I typically do allows me to learn about the differing populations of customers that visit. On weekends, there is a large mixture of individuals. I see medical workers, parents with their children, teenagers, young adults, friends, and small groups of people. Yet at the time of this Monday visit, the majority of the customers were middle-aged individuals by themselves getting their morning coffees before work. 

                                                                                                                            https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/slow-coffee-weymouth                                                                                                                                                                                             town?select=EXkGHe4WEsC7iah89jkwgA

As this cafe is fairly small, seating options are limited. There are few seats along the windows as well as outdoor seating. On weekdays, most customers order their coffees and go on with their day- so seating is not too vital for those days. Yet on weekends, many small groups of people arrive with their friends or significant others. Although there are seating options, not many stay and sit. As there is not much space inside, and many sit down at these window spots as they wait. Most if not all get their coffees and leave.                                                                               

            

                                                                                                                                            

In terms of beans, Slow Coffee uses Broadstreet Coffee Roasters. BroadStreet Coffee Roasters is a local coffee shop located in Cambridge. All beans are verified as fair trade. These beans vary from multiple locations around the world. The two beans Slow Coffee typically uses are called "Kanzu"  from Rwanda and a seasonal blend used for pour-over coffee- Slow Coffee's main method. BroadStreet Coffee Roasters' beans are roasted in Somerville, MA. 

During this visit, I ordered my usual. Which is a tiramisu latte. Slow Coffee does offer an array of specialty lattes, coffee, tea, and other non-coffee items. Connecting to the owner's roots, they do offer a few traditional Asian drinks such as Matcha, Hojicha, Yuenyung, and Black Sesame Lattes. The month before this visit, the two owners were on vacation in China. I asked the owners if they had planned on bringing more of their Chinese culture into their business. The owner shared with me that they had tried many coffees in China. As China is more focused on tea, the coffee in China is limited. They informed me they would like to bring more of their culture into their business, yet they are unsure if their culture will integrate well with the American culture.

As I have been purchasing their coffee since they had opened- I realized I had never known the meaning or mission of their establishment. So for my final question, I asked the owners for more insight. The main aim of their business is for people to slow down. Most coffee establishments have drive-thrus, causing there to be little interaction or appreciation of the business. In addition, for example, when ordering a coffee at Dunkin' Donuts, the coffee is ready seconds after paying for it. These owners do not like that idea. For one, the methods such as the pour-over method they use when making coffee cause the customer to wait 3-5 minutes for their product. Secondly, the owner states that Americans typically are in a rush which causes individuals to miss the importance of life around them. For this business, these owners need to allow customers to slow down, enjoy what is around them, and appreciate the product more.