{"id":2429,"date":"2016-04-04T20:01:38","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T20:01:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nosmallthing.net\/main\/?p=2429"},"modified":"2021-05-08T14:38:26","modified_gmt":"2021-05-08T14:38:26","slug":"coming-soon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nosmallthing.net\/main\/coming-soon\/","title":{"rendered":"Coming Soon"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"coffe<\/a>I don\u2019t even drink coffee, but I did a double take when I walked past the white paper sign on the nearby storefront door the other day<\/p>\n

Coming soon!<\/strong><\/p>\n

As if the exclamation point shaved off a few days from their build-out schedule and added reasons for excitement.<\/p>\n

A local bru haus<\/em><\/strong> (they don\u2019t just call them caf\u00e9s anymore) was going to be opening in my neighborhood.<\/p>\n

The smaller print declared that the beans themselves were going to be roasted in my very zip code (as if preparing beans in Chicago\u2019s Albany Park stood for superior flavor and was a great selling point).<\/p>\n

Along a major avenue and bus route and only blocks away from a commuter train station, the hope would be that they would grow a loyal following.<\/p>\n

Of course, they would be set up for WIFI and would probably sell a limited selection of pastries. Maybe their sweets would come from their own ovens. Or, more likely, they\u2019d come from another small business.<\/p>\n

Baked with the best organic ingredients that could be found, their blondies or cinnamon crumble topped cakes would be products of someone else\u2019s entrepreneurial dream.<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t see beyond the brown kraft paper covering the insides of the windows facing the street, but my imagination started filling in the details of what the place might look like.<\/p>\n

The place would be some shade of yellow, like having caffeinated walls. I\u2019d expect them to have funky, brightly painted wooden chairs. I fondly remembered Urbus Orbus, back in the day, when I was in my twenties and drank coffee.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d hang out there with my friend Lin for hours, sipping Arabica and playing board games, which were stashed away on a small bookcase that was probably pulled from a nearby alley before scavengers (i.e. garbage-pickers) made a last round.<\/p>\n

We\u2019d play Scrabble or Clue (okay, the set was missing a few pieces). We\u2019d drink from endless over-sized ceramic cups Wabi Sabi<\/em><\/strong> style. Somehow the crockery was extra endearing because they were irregular or imperfect.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s typical bru haus<\/em> or caf\u00e9 patrons probably have all the games they could think of on their smart phone apps. And paper GO<\/strong> cups might be their standard for serving up their special blend. Still, I was excited\u2026<\/p>\n