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Notes from the counter
Essays on coffee, community, and the people behind both: how we choose coffee, why we roast light, what a neighborhood café is actually for. Read here, or subscribe and we'll bring it to your inbox.
July 1, 2026
My Hot Take on Cold Brew
It’s the most popular way to drink cold coffee. I think it’s the worst one.
June 4, 2026
Coffee Translates
Why a simple cup keeps becoming common ground in a divided world.
May 27, 2026
The Best Sip Is Hiding Under the Heat
Why coffee often gets sweeter, clearer, and more interesting after it cools.
April 29, 2026
How We Choose Coffee
Flavor points us in the right direction. Story helps us understand the value.
April 15, 2026
If Everyone Is Brewing at Home, Why Do Coffee Shops Still Matter?
The case for the local cafe
March 26, 2026
When Coffee Becomes a Transaction (and How to Pull It Back)
What a road trip revealed about hospitality.
February 27, 2026
Getting Espresso Dialed In
Because espresso changes hour by hour.
February 11, 2026
Proximity: From Tamil Nadu to Minneapolis
Celebrating a Family, a Farm, and the Relationship That Brought Us Together
February 5, 2026
How We Price Coffee
Transparency, compromise, and why the number on the bag actually matters
January 29, 2026
Freshness Is the Point
Why time, restraint, and proximity matter more than shelf life
January 7, 2026
Why our First Domain Was "your corner coffee .com"
What we were really building from the beginning.
December 31, 2025
Burn the Bean, Lose the Story
Why we roast the way we do.
December 24, 2025
A Return to Ethiopia
Why this Yirgacheffe reminded me what coffee can be
December 18, 2025
What Is Community-Focused Coffee?
Why nothing here is disposable — not the coffee, not the work, not the people.
December 11, 2025
The Story Behind Corner Coffee Uptown
How an old garage, a music venue, and a whole lot of people shaped a neighborhood café
December 3, 2025
The Gingerbread Caramel Latte (and the Recipe Behind It)
A winter drink built on balance, nostalgia, and flavor that actually complements the coffee.
November 28, 2025
Guji, Ethiopia — A Cup That Feels Like Discovery All Over Again
(Limited Edition — Direct from Rogicha Guji)
November 12, 2025
Where Coffee Comes From (and Why It Matters)
How knowing origin connects us to people, progress, and better coffee
November 5, 2025
Coffee That Doesn’t Taste Like Coffee
Introducing Quindío, Colombia — Jairo Arcila, Santa Mónica
October 29, 2025
Trudy’s Granola
Because some things are worth making by hand.