Hours: Mon-Sat 7am-6pm
Address: 115 E 3rd st Sterling, Il 61081
Wifi: Unknown
Phone:815-564-2787
Outdoor seating: Limited
Chad's family lives in the town of Sterling,Il, just west of Chicago. Up until a year ago or so, there wasn't a coffee house in this cute little town. Which is a shame since there is such potential for a it. Enter Air Play Sports. They began as (you guess it) a sporting goods store. They sell various things but mostly frisbees and kites. Then about a year ago the owner decided to open up a coffee shop in his store. If anything, this place fills a niche. When there isn't any competition in the area,the chances are pretty good you will do well. Sure, a sporting goods store and coffee shop don't really go together but oh well. You call it odd, I call it eclectic. I've been there a handful of times with Chad when we're in town but this is the first review I've done on them. I've been putting it off on purpose because a place like this doesn't really fit into the normal coffee shop mold. They are in a smaller town, and the clientele is different than it would be in a bigger city. If you ask the barista behind the counter to put some latte art in your drink or ask them about microfoam, there is a good chance they will look at you like you have recently grown a second head. And really, I think that is ok. It's a small town, how many of their customers will even know if the milk isn't frothed correctly? (other than me) My guess is not many. But in the end you have to cater to your crowd.
First and foremost, the coffee isn't good. I'm sorry. I really am. I'm sorry to say that, but it just isn't. The barista behind the counter ground the espresso fresh for my latte (very nice!) but then I saw something that made my stomach turn. There was no tamping. NO. TAMPING. Ok, so the idea behind tamping is to create an area where the water can penetrate the espresso evenly. When the water comes out, it's under pressure and it needs to saturate something that is compact and hard or it will create a weak espresso shot. When you tamp there should be around 30lbs of pressure to press the grounds into the portafilter evenly. But I digress...there was no tamping, and because of that, my espresso came out like water. And the frothing of my milk? *shudder* Not good. Not. Good. I wanted to say something, but I didn't want to come across like a snob. So I drank my latte and I tried not to make the pukey face. When I went this last time, I went with Chad's mom and she got a latte as well. We ordered 4 thumb print cookies with caramel on the middle. What they lack in barista skills, they more than make up for in the bakery. Every time I get something from their bakery, I am always impressed. During the fall season they made this pumpkin muffin with cream cheese in the middle. I am drooling just thinking of it. A-MAZING.
The owner is super nice and accommodating, when we wanted to sit outside, he had his son (?) get us a table and chairs from the storage area. It's a family run place and you can tell their customers are very important to them. They are well known in the community.
Sure it's weird to have a coffee shop in a sporting goods store. But in the end the town of Sterling really needed something like this. They needed a little coffee place where you can meet your friends and relax. They need a place to get a latte and a pumpkin muffin and watch the cars go by. They need a place like this so girls like me have a spot to take their future mother- in- laws to sit and gossip.
I will be back to Air Play Sports again, if anything the bakery and the fact that there really is no where else to go in that area, will keep me coming back through the door when we're in town. The baristas could use some help, some training and some education on how to pull the perfect espresso shot. That would be the last thing that could really complete the package for them. The cherry on top of their sweet sundae.
