There is nothing better than the rich aroma of a well brewed cup of coffee to start the day. Imagine waking up for an 8 a.m. lecture in the middle of winter when it’s freezing outside. Your alarm goes off at 7 a.m. and the last thing you want to do is get out of your warm cozy bed. You glance at your phone and see that the temperature outside is negative twenty degrees with a wind chill. You look outside your window and see the entire world covered with a blanket of fresh snow. You reluctantly force yourself to get out of bed and get ready for a long day.
There is only one thing that will motivate you to get through the day and give you the energy you need to focus on that dreadful early morning lecture. It is your saviour, your life line, your fuel, every coffee lover’s desire: a nice hot cup of rich foamy coffee to start your day and get you out of bed. You can already imagine the smell of caffeine and your tongue anticipating that delightful first sip. You can’t wait to feel that familiar rush of dopamine and a magically improved sense of focus and alertness.
Now, you are faced with a choice. You can either brew your own coffee at home or you can buy a coffee on your way to class. You glance at the time: it’s already 7:20 a.m. and the bus to campus arrives in ten minutes. There’s no time to even attempt making a quick cup of coffee. Only one option seems to be left: buy coffee on the way to class.
But where should you buy your coffee from? The obvious first choice pops into your mind: either Starbucks or Tim Hortons. These commercial coffee chains are literally everywhere and all over the city. The strange thing about Canada: you could take a walk in a forest in the middle of nowhere or go on a hike outside the city and a Starbucks suddenly spawns in the middle of nothingness.
However, let me ask you a question: Are these the only places you can pick up your morning cup of coffee from?
There are so many brilliant locally run coffee businesses, from Anarchy Coffee Roasters in Kelowna, or The Art We Are in Kamloops, to The Portrait Café in Downtown Vancouver. Every local coffee shop is different and original, each with their own unique twist to the coffee brewed, latte art, location and ambience, all enriched by artistic decorations.
“Unlike chain coffee shops, local coffee shops don't need to stick to a cookie-cutter menu and decor in order to be replicable en masse. This allows them to add fun decorations, or interesting special drinks and treats that are tricky to find anywhere else!” said a university student whose family previously owned a local coffee shop in Winnipeg, which they built and designed from scratch. “My family's coffee shop was known for a twist on a Thai Iced Coffee that my mother made, and in-house curated cinnamon buns”.
When asked why it was important for people, especially students, to support local coffee shops, she replied, “As with all big brand companies, there is no personalized touch from a major coffee brand. Going to get coffee from small businesses helps to support a small shop that actually cares about your coffee and you as a person.”
When asked about the type of atmosphere her family created in the coffee shop for the customers she said, “The main go-to vibe was cozy and quaint. We wanted to create a warm, welcoming vibe, and a memorable look that is far enough removed from what you normally see in order to stick out in people's memories.”
“Growing up around a coffee shop has taught me how important community is in small towns, such as the one I'm from, and how local businesses can help with that. There were several customers that would come in for almost nothing, just a single cup of tea, but then they'd stay and talk to me behind the counter for over an hour. It just shows how much it helps when there are people in your community that you can talk to and connect with, a connection that cannot be achieved to the same level from big-name coffee shops.”
On advising university students about choosing where to buy their coffee from she replied, “Try a variety of places! I know it's hard to get time as a student, and getting coffee on campus is easier, but your best bet for finding the perfect cup of coffee is trying a lot of different coffee shops to see what works best for you.”
So, the next time you need to grab a cup of coffee, ask yourself, where should I get my coffee from? Step outside your comfort zone, try new places, and support local coffee shops.
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