Huggy's Coffee Bar in Vermilion,Oh

I have been going to Huggy's Coffee Bar for a long time. It's basically the only coffee shop in Vermilion so I didn't have a lot of other options. Though from what I hear there is a gift shop in the historic Harbourtown area that within the past few years added a coffee bar to it called Decidedly Different. I have never been there but that is for another blog...

I have been googling this coffee shop since sitting down to write my blog, trying to dig up some info on it or it's owner Tom Hug or the coffee shop's history but I am coming up with some bare bones stuff that I already knew anyway.

Huggy's Coffee Bar won second place last year for Best Coffeehouse in the Cleveland area and in 2008 they won First Place. Now they're in competion with a lot of other coffee shops in the area so some would wonder, how did small town coffee shop get so popular??

First off I have to talk about the owner, Tom Hug. When I was living with my mom for a few months I had a lot of down time, and I needed to get out of the house or else I would go stir crazy. So everyday I grabbed my little laptop and I went to Huggy's for some coffee and free wifi (my mom's internet was annoying in it's slowness). He asked my name after a week of coming in everyday, and even though he promised he would forget it and probably ask me again, claiming he was bad with names, he remembered it and greeted me warmly everytime I came in since then. He sometimes even had my drink ready before I even got to the counter (a sign of an excellent barista). That is just the kind of guy he is. I asked him once if he ever got any time off, since he was there every single time I went in and his car seemed to always be parked outside. He told me he hasn't had a day off in three years. Three years. I asked him why go for so long without a vacation, and he just shrugged and smiled slightly. He said something about having a hard time getting the schedule filled but I got the feeling he was just one of those people that had a hard time with time off. He loves his coffee shop and he loves his customers. I hear him greet every single one of them by name, knowing their drinks, knowing their stories, knowing their lives. He never seems to have an pretentious ere about him though, yes he owns the place but his wardrobe seems to consist of flannel shirts and jeans. His hair is always a bit messy and his face usually is contemplative, like he is trying to figure a problem out in his head while fixing your latte. So of course, I find him completely endearing. He saw me once at the grocery store (this is before he knew my name) and just yelled "HEY!" and waved and smiled. This was after I had been there twice.

But lets get to the coffee shop itself already. To say it's eclectic would be a HUGE understatement. It's like a antique store just exploded and spewed it's guts everywhere. There is a canoe hanging from the ceiling, various neon signs hanging on the walls, not to mention the tons of things for sale. From paintings to pictures of the old Vermilion to gift baskets, he has it all. He also does custom framing (random I know). Along with the coffee, this place is also known for it's hard to find candy for sale. Want a Zagnut? He has them. How about some Abba Zabba? You got it. He has anything and everything you remember from your childhood.

As far as bakery goes that is where he disappoints me a bit. You know how I love my cookie or brownie with my coffee. But no such luck. I think he orders some muffins and danishes from the local bakery every morning but if you come in at 2pm there is nothing left, nothing that isn't stale. And the "display" case is a bit sad too. It's just a plastic square case that is on one of the tables close to the counter. I would love to see him invest in a nice bakery case and expand on that a bit more, that is always a plus in coffee houses. There is a small lunch menu available. The usual coffee shop stuff, soups and sandwiches. I haven't tried any but I know they are made fresh daily and I have heard a lot of people say good things about them.

I got a soy mocha this time and Chad got his usual Americano. Ho hum. We did get a coffee on the way out as well though. I didn't put a lot of energy into the coffee tasting, considering I have had many espresso based drinks from Huggy's I thought I could give a pretty good review on what I knew already. Everytime Chad gets an Americano from Huggy's I will say it's really strong. Chad made the mistake of telling Tom that he loves strong coffee and Tom just remembered that so now every time we go there he puts like 5 shots in it. Well it's good that he remembers but now his drinks are always crazy strong. My soy mocha was good, a little hotter than I like and I could tell the shots were coming out a little faster than they should have been but all in all it was good. He uses a manual machine and utilizes punch cards , two of my big bonuses. Don't you think that free coffee at the end of your punch card just tastes better than the ones that you paid for? I think so.

A big downside to this place (other than the bakery of course, or lack thereof) would be the outside dining area. In the spring and summertime, there are 2, count them TWO tables set up outside. Now keep in mind this coffee shop is in the "downtown" area, RIGHT on the water where sitting and watching the boats go by would be a lovely way to spend some time. But the two tables he has are on the side of the building, and you usually end up sitting next to a parked car and watching the cars go by blasting music at you, not so relaxing I think. He is set up in the perfect area for a outside seating area, it would take a little rearranging and some imagination but it's possible.

Also I have to talk about the coffee. As I mentioned before, we got a small black coffee on the way out just to get a well rounded review on the place. And the coffee?? Not good. I wanted to call and ask what company he uses, but I am going to have to put an addendum on this blog entry at a later date when I get all the info. I don't know what was going on with the coffee, but it was almost tangy. It creeped into your taste buds and slapped them around a little like a bully wearing combat boots and spiked wrist bands. I don't think unless something changes I would order their regular coffee again.

Huggy's prices are completely reasonable. Much lower than the standard "starbucks-type" coffee shops around. Though I did see a sign alerting patrons that he was going to have to do a price increase due to the rising cost of his supplies. It's a sucky thing, and I am sure it's going to piss some people off, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

My conclusion??? (as if you didn't know already) I love Huggy's Coffee Bar. It's friendly service, good prices and interesting eye catching atmosphere. What else could you want??

Civilization in Cleveland,Oh

I first heard about this coffee shop from my brother and sister in law. They lived in Tremont for years and raved about this spot. Then my mom chimed in and included herself in as a fan. So I decided that my next stop would be this place just to see what the fuss was all about.

It was a good thing I had looked at it online so I would know what the front of it looked like, or else there is a good chance I would have driven right past it. The building was built back in 1881. It used to be a Pharmacy, and staying true to history the owners decided to keep the old signage and look of the building just as it was. They also kept pretty much everything inside of it the same as it was back when it was used as a pharmacy. All the shelving is the same, even down to the clock on the wall. I really love the fact they decided not to completely re-do it all. I love it's look, and it feels very homey. Of course they had to bring some things in, but somehow it all ends up meshing really well, the old and the new.





You know what I loved first about this place, is the fact it didn't have the "yuppy" feel of some coffee houses in Cleveland (*ahem* Gypsy*). I didn't see one laptop out, and most of the people seemed very friendly. It looked like the typical neighborhood coffee house.

Well I ordered a soy vanilla latte and Chad got an Americano as usual. We did order a coffee on the way out just so the review could be as broad as possible. My coffee had some latte art on it so I was happy about that. It really doesn't take much to make me happy.



But this is where we get to the downside. My cookie was super stale. Like made a week ago stale. Or made a few days ago and the bakery doesn't get put away at night stale. Either way...it was crazy stale. I mean I ate it because a stale cookie is still a cookie you know??



Anyway Chad got a Hippie Cookie and his wasn't as bad as mine so I guess it all balanced out.


All their coffee is locally roasted at City Roast coffee. I have had their coffee before at the West Side Market. I have to be honest with you, I love City Roast coffee, I really do. I have gotten a few of their different kinds of blends, from Mexican to Columbian to Kenyan. I love the fact they roast in small batches to ensure you are getting a freshly roasted cup of coffee. But I gotta say, today's coffee wasn't that great. I am not sure what roast they had today, and I wish I had gotten a better look at the sign so I could provide a better review. But the coffee today was just ok. Nothing to knock my socks off. Maybe it was old, or maybe I am just used to stronger coffee, but it got a shrug from me.


The Baristas there were pretty nice, kind of quiet but thats ok too. They had a basic lunch menu, it looked just like some paninis and various sandwiches, the usual for a coffee shop. Another downside? No light in the bathroom, totally random I know but Chad had to go and the key was right next to the door (which again is a bit odd) and he had to prop the door open a bit just to get some light. I guess you could chalk it up to an old building but come on, I get scared in the dark, at least give me a flashlight or something!

Also another downside, there was a big crack in Chad's cup. Lots of nice bacteria get in those cracks, and I would think if you're going to use ceramic cups like that you should be always mindful of the fact that they do crack and chip. Just something I would keep an eye out for.



Too bad it's still cold outside or else we could have sat outside or taken a walk around the neighborhood. It seemed like a really nice area and I think when it gets warmer we're going to have to come back and explore it more.



The whole thing (1 latte, 1 americano, 2 cookies and a small coffee) ended up costing us about 10 bucks. Not too bad I thought. All in all, I would come back to Civization. I loved the look of the place, the location was really nice and the coffee was worth the drive.

Phoenix Coffee in Cleveland,Oh

When I first moved to Cleveland and I started to look into the coffee houses in the area, I found that Phoenix coffee was popping up all over my search. They have 5 locations and customers that swear by their brew so I have been wanting to check them out for a while.

Phoenix Coffee started back in 1990, founded by Carl Jones. Now after a little bit of searching, I also found that Carl Jones also founded the first Arabica cafe in 1976. Now I will get to Arabica later on but if you're from cleveland, most of you know that Arabica doesn't exactly have the best reputation for good coffee, or even tolerable coffee...But the good news (well I guess it wasn't exactly good news at the time) but back in 1985 he sold the chains of Arabica Coffee houses due to bankruptcy. One year later after some generosity from friends, he started roasting coffee again and selling it to...Arabica. Well as the cutthroat coffee business goes, partnerships can turn sour on the drop of a dime. And Mr. Jones went his own way and Phoenix Coffee was born.

Chad and I went to Phoenix on Valentine's Day, he was buying dinner so it was the least I could do to buy some coffee. The location on West 9th was the one closest to us so we found a parking spot on the street and went in. I rarely look at the menus anymore when I go into coffee houses, so I just ordered my regular soy vanilla latte and chad had an americano. It looks like they have some lunch items as well as a small selection of bakery. Now this is where I was a bit disappointed. I love my sweets, LOVE my sweets. But their selection was small, very limited. I thought maybe they had just sold out, but when I looked closer, I saw that the trays were full for the most part but the items were just not very appetizing. Give me something chocolate or don't even bother. There was nothing chocolate in there, a small complaint but if you are a chocolate fiend like I am then you'd understand:) There were 2 baristas working. One young girl who I am pretty sure was sick with a cold or something and another older man with the typical coffee house artsy guy attire. On a side note, Chad asked me what "look" he was going for (mostly black, back rimmed glasses, and a stocking cap) and I said it was the cookie cutter coffee house look for guys. I am not saying it's a bad thing, but I have to control myself to not roll my eyes when I am confronted with that look. Oh well...I am sure he is a good barista and I am just harping on something that has nothing to do with what I am talking about...so I digress.

Well first off I will say the coffee was good. I watched her pull my shots, it took a little bit *ok a LOT* longer than I thought since there wasn't anyone ahead of us, but maybe she was new or maybe she was just plain slow. When you work in a drive thru environment like Coffease like I did, it's all about the quickness ALONG with quality. You need to have both and it needs to be done in 2 minutes or less because people are going to work and if you're slow then your tip won't be as good if you get a tip at all. So you learn to be fast. But since we were not in our car and we weren't in a huge hurry, I was ok waiting around a bit. It gave me a good excuse to walk around. The layout of the place is pretty open, I really liked the way they decorated it as well. It was totally my style. Old diner tables paired with antique chairs. Paintings on the wall and on the ground (some used for tables) it was an eclectic mix. There was a huge mixing station with a pitcher of ice water and glasses. I am sure that helps the barista out a lot, something so simple but so smart. Because the majority of coffee drinkers (if they are hanging out) once they are done with their coffee are going to need some water. Simple but helpful. The only thing that threw me off was the color scheme. Orange and Aqua Blue. I just didn't get it and it kind of hurt my eyes to look at the whole place for too long. The blue was nice, very beachy, and the orange was cool and quirky. But together? I don't know...

Anyway when we got our coffees (with a bit of latte art on mine) I have to say it was pretty good. I could tell the espresso shots were pulled correctly and the latte wasn't too hot or too cold. Chad liked his Americano as well but he said there was nothing too exceptional about it. It was a bit pricey but for that downtown area I figured it was pretty average.

I can see where parking would be an issue since there is no dedicated parking area but when you're in a downtown environment sometimes you just have to deal. But since I am talking about parking, I will say that the owners of Phoenix are even trying to help with that. They have a curbside to go program, where you call ahead and in 15min you can drive up and the barista will run it out to your car for you. I thought that was very smart. They are also very much integrated into the community, helping such organizations like Ohio Coalition Against the MisUse of Pesticides and certain Women's Advocacy Groups like Womankind.

All in all I would go back to Phoenix. The coffee was well made, the seating was somewhat comfortable and the decor always gave you something to look at. You can rest easy knowing that your coffee is being locally roasted by someone who really loves coffee and loves what they're doing.

Erie Island Coffee Co Cleveland,Oh

I first heard about this coffee shop from Craigslist. They were hiring a Barista back in Dec and I thought, oh what the hell I'll apply. But then the holidays came around and school started...ok I was just being lazy. But when Chad called me up after wandering around downtown Cleveland aimlessly, finding himself at the doorsteps of this coffee shop I figured I would check it out. And he was buying so...

From what I gather, here is the background of this place. It started off with their first shop at Kelly's Island. A bit of a random place to start your business if you ask me, but whatever. Maybe there was a market for coffee there. One of the owners used to manage a Starbucks so I was a bit wary about their product. As most of you know, Starbucks is the Wal Mart of coffee and unless you're in a hurry and desperate, it shouldn't ever be consumed.

They are situated in this alley way strip of small restaurants and shops. Completely cute, they even have some places with the store front dining area. That was always a bit odd to me, I don't want a bunch of people watch me eat, but it's the new thing I suppose.

The huge downside to this trendy little area is parking. I had to park in the Quicken Loans parking lot, since it was right around the corner. I am sure if I had driven around a little bit more I probably could have found something cheaper but in the end I paid $4 to park and I hoofed it a block to Erie Island.

First I would like to say, they have decorated the place very nicely. Now, it's not MY taste (I love the quirky mis-matchy look) but I can appreciate when an area is looking classy, and this place was. Comfy seating and Norah Jones on the speakers, it was definitely a chill type of environment. The Baristas (I am so bad with names but I think it was Alexis and Lisa)were very sweet and friendly. I ordered my Soy Vanilla Latte (hey Chad was buying so I was going to live it up) and I even got some latte art in my cup. After much debate, Chad and I both agreed it looked not so much like a Rosetta but more like squished butt cheeks, but I gave it an A for effort. This was actually the first place I have been to in a while that did latte art so I loved the extra touch. I was sad to see my butt cheek picture go away, but I of course needed to taste her creation. And it was wonderful. You can always tell if the espresso shots are coming out correctly by the taste, if it's too bitter or too bland then you know your barista hasn't timed her shots correctly and the machine more than likely needs to be calibrated. But this was perfect. They used hand tamping machines as well, which is always a plus for me. If all you do is push a button then I have a hard time calling you a Barista. The coffee was yummy, the cost was decent (a PLUS for utilizing punch cards!! I love my freebies!!) and the overall friendliness of the workers there made it a place I will definitely stop in again.

Gypsy Beans and Baking Co in Cleveland,Oh

Well I have taken a long enough hiatus and I figured it was time to come back to my coffee blog. Truth be told, I missed it. But moving, school and money issues came to the forefront of my thoughts and pushed this blog to the back of my priorities. Anyway I am just going to jump right back into it.

This coffee shop is right around the corner from my place so I figured it was the best place to start. I first heard of it from word of mouth, Chad and I were out to dinner one night just after moving to Cleveland and of course our first question was...where is the coffee shops around here? A nice server suggested Gypsy to us and we went the next day. I have been there a handful of times since then so I feel pretty informed giving this review. First I would like to say (because this is the most important part:) that I do love their coffee. They get their coffee from a local roaster, Red Cedar Coffee Company. I have ordered a few different things from them, from a cafe con panna (I had to explain to the barista how to make it though) to a regular coffee, to my *favorite* vanilla soy latte. Everything I have ordered is yummy. But it's not just about the coffee. Yes, the coffee is a HUGE part of it, but it's not all of it. There is one barista there that I like, (I forget her name) and she is always chipper and sweet every time we come in. But there are a few baristas that I can honestly say I don't like so much. They know what they're doing, it's obvious that they are knowledgeable in the art of espresso drinks, but to me, there is more to it. There is customer service. And there is one barista there that I can honestly say I have never seen smile. Never. Chad tells me that maybe thats "just his thing", that maybe he is just a serious person. Ok, maybe that is true. But when you're in a job that you need to interact with the public, throw a smile on your face and try to look like you're not miserable, or a snob. Even if you're just faking it, I don't think most people will know the difference. I don't know...maybe I am making too much of it. But it makes me uneasy. He always looks like there is a frown etched into his face and some of his "smile" muscles are in atrophy. The manager there seems sweet, she is always calling people "love", I just eat up that kind of stuff:) The other baristas there seem alright, helpful and nice enough. But nothing that makes me feel welcome when I go in there. When I was living in Virginia there was a coffee place I frequented. And after a few times of going, not only did the employees remember my drink but they remembered my name and followed up on stories or what was going on in my life at the time. That is the kind of barista I am as well. I will have a hard time remembering what I need to do tomorrow in school but I will be able to remember how many shots you like in your drink and how your kids are doing in school. It's a whole customer service package. It's making people feel good when they walk in. Even when Chad asks how business is doing (being a small local place, we want them to do well and thrive in this economy so we are genuinely interested) the answer is usually half assed at best.

The prices are average for this area, a little pricey but nothing over the top. The atmosphere itself is cozy, the majority of the customers hanging out are on their laptops so it's a little yuppy-esque for me. But as far as coffee houses that are walking distance from our place, it's excellent:)