I live across a building which has a tiny unpresumptuous coffee shop on the first floor. The shop is called "Fresh Brew Coffee" with a fading green awning that says: espresso sandwiches pastries. When the weather is nice, people sit outside.
The place is run by a Vietnamese man, his name is Jackie as he is quick to tell you. He will always try to sway you to get his Vietnamese sandwiches, though there are regular deli sandwiches and all-day breakfast options which I usually go with. A great deal of thought was put into the little amount of available space. There are just 6 small metal tables split between inside and outside. There are shelves with the current newspaper and books by the window you can read while you wait or eating. Today someone walked in asking how much a newspaper was - Jackie said he doesn't sell them, they are just for his customers to read.
The food comes quickly, always by a teenage-looking girl, with braces, tall and lanky. It seems Jackie knows the majority of people who come to the shop. He knows their order. We spoke briefly as well, asking me if I'm working today (no), where I live (right across the street), what my name is (Irene), whether I'm enjoying my 3-day Halloween weekend (yes, and you?). I heard him do the same spiel with numerous people as I sat at my little table pretending to read my book while actually people-watching inside the shop and passing by on the street.
This place is simple, tidy and dingy, inexpensive, efficient. Much like a lot of these incredibly local TenderNob coffee shops. But the real gem is Jackie, who makes you feel like you just walked into his home and now is sharing his food with you. Often you don't pay until after you're done eating. A black little lady came in asking for Jackie, when he saw her while he was somewhere in the depths of the kitchen he shouted a hellooo and came out to sit at her little table and chat about something or other. As I was leaving, he was again somewhere behind the counter, honestly he couldn't have seen me get up easily, and told me to have a good day. This is a man who knows his job and his community in and out. And it's this that makes his shop stand out.
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