Minnesotans are a different breed of people in some ways. For whatever reason, we have two favorite coffee chains, and neither of them is Starbucks!
No, we prefer Dunn Brothers and (my personal favorite) Caribou. There’s something so perfectly pleasing about Caribou coffee. It’s not too bitter or too acidic. It’s full-bodied and simply has the flavor of happiness!
I stopped in to the Caribou Coffee in one of my favorite malls last weekend. It’s a splendid location. You can rest your feet if you’ve been on a shop-until-you-drop excursion, or just get a little pick-me-up while deciding which store to navigate next — all while enjoying all the people watching you like!
It was a very warm day and I had just come in from enjoying a Chipotle burrito bowl at an outdoor patio table, so I fancied a cold press coffee with cream. Ooh la la! Magnificent!
The shop was quite busy and I didn’t want anyone to feel intruded upon, so I just took a few pictures of some of the displays.
They do a very nice job of making their brand look fresh and bright and appealing. Whoever designed their brand colors and the brand “look and feel” did an absolutely splendid job. I believe they have refreshed it only once (in 2010) since their humble beginnings in Edina, Minnesota in 1992. (Wikipedia)
An interesting thing about this coffee company is how they honor the company’s first “roast master,” Amy Erickson, with an “Amy’s Blend” roast. Evidently, everyone who knew Amy loved and was inspired by her. And some of the practices she put in place in the early days are still in use today.
Sadly, she lost her battle with breast cancer in 1995. But her legacy lives on. The company donates 10% of the proceeds from Amy’s Blend sales to an organization for girls called Girls on the Run. You can read more about Amy and the girl’s organization here.
Today, you can find Caribou Coffee in something like 19 states as well as some international locations, but it has never experienced the expansion that Starbucks has, which makes me weirdly happy. It feels like my home state has some pride of ownership of the Caribou Coffee brand, and that it will never turn into some kind of conglomerate that loses its personal touch.
Wherever you find a shop, it’s quaint and homey, and may have a fireplace and a spot for kids to play. The staff members are friendly and efficient. And they make a bad-ass cup of joe.
Love me some ‘bou!!
Thank you for reading. And thanks to the @cinncf community admins for running these wonderful prompts!
Photo credits: All of the photos in this post were taken by me with my iphone and belong to me, unless otherwise noted.
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