The coffeehouse, a brief history and local guide
Often associated with Beat poets and other countercultural types of the 1950s and '60s, coffeehouses hold a much longer and more prominent place in Western culture. Throughout many parts of 18 th century Europe, these were the places that men--yes, only men--came together to share news and knowledge, and debate the great issues of the day. Outlets for newsletters, pamphlets, and broadsides, as well, coffeehouses came to be known as "penny universities." As such, historians frequently credit them for their role in promoting democracy and a healthy civic life.
| Photo: Julie Wiatt |  | | Kefa Café offers a sunny nook from which to enjoy great java and catch your breath in a busy world. |
Even if they no longer play so significant a role in democratic ferment, coffeehouses are experiencing a renaissance these days, a new and vibrant chapter. There were an estimated 21,400 coffeehouses in the United States in 2005; nearly 10,000 more than existed just five years earlier. Perhaps even more astounding is that total retail sales from US coffeehouses in 2005 were approximately $8.4 billion dollars.
Admittedly not everyone's "cup of tea" (to borrow a phrase), coffeehouses are havens, once again, for many college students, writers, artists, and community activists. True, most of these shops are wired now, which means that a good number of patrons can be found typing away at laptops instead of engaging in face-to-face conversation. Still, these are places where others come to unwind, socialize, or take care of civic business.
Whether used as a social space or a workplace--okay, here's where things get murky (does it become a "second place" if it's where one does their work?)--coffeehouses provide a venue for interaction in a society that on many counts is more transient, media-saturated, and private.
Grab a mug and explore some local options
| Photo: Julie Wiatt |  | | Catchig up on the news at Mayorga. |
If you prefer the predictable--are frankly relieved when you find that a product or experience you like is replicated nearly wherever you go--you'll no doubt be pleased that Downtown Silver Spring houses two Seattle-based Starbucks chain stores and one Minneapolis-born Caribou Coffee outlet. Both companies have replicated the attributes of successful local independent coffeehouses and cafes, and it's impossible to deny that they do a masterful job of packaging and marketing themselves.
According to recent figures, Starbucks overshadows all of its competition, claiming a 73% market share of total coffeehouse revenue in 2005.
If, on the other hand, you enjoy seeking out places that are unique to the community a nd if you prefer seeing your dollars exchange hands with local businesspeople, then Silver Spring offers a number of attractive alternatives.
Tiramisu Café: Newest on the scene
A bit off the beaten path, located on a quiet section of Eastern Avenue, Tiramisu Café is the most recent addition to the coffeehouse scene. This is an attractive, cozy, intimate space, consisting of one room with hardwood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the street, and eight tables. With a grand opening in the works for later this month, sisters Meskerem and Biscut Fekade began serving passersby in late November. The 20-year residents have long wanted to provide a gathering place for people in this portion of Silver Spring and DC's Shepherd Park neighborhood, and spent over nine months renovating their space.
At this stage, Tiramisu offers a nice selection of coffees, cookies and pastries--including black forest cake and tiramisu--all made on the premises. The café's hospitable proprietors promise that in weeks to come they'll be adding breakfast items, sandwiches, and eventually soups, as well as Wi-Fi Internet access.
Jason Gedeik, who lives nearby, urges others to stop in. On the South Silver Spring Neighborhood Association's online discussion group, Gedeik writes: "Tiramisu is a great addition to the neighborhood and helps to put on a 'brighter' face to an area that has not had much new investment in some time. It's a family-run business and everyone that works there is truly invested in the venture and it shows through their great customer service and delicious baked goods." He adds, "Everyone please check it out! You'll also be helping to attract more businesses like this to the area."
I know I'll be back and will have more to report.
Tiramisu Café is located at 7847 Eastern Avenue. Hours are 7am-7pm, Mon-Sun.
Kefa Café: The deepest roots
Step into the small coffeehouse on Bonifant near Georgia and you're guaranteed a warm greeting from Kefa's proprietors, Abeba and Lene Tsegaye.
| Photo: Julie Wiatt |  | | Abebe and Lene Tsegaye recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of Kefa Café. | In the ten years that Kefa's been in business, the women have developed a reputation for creating, in many people's view, the most hospitable coffeehouse environment around. It's one of two coffeehouses in the DC area where I can disappear for months on end, return and have the proprietors not only recognize me, but good-naturedly chide me for not coming in more often.
If you're wondering, the name Kefa is a derivative of kaffa, the region in Ethiopia where coffee originated and where the Tsegaye sisters are from, by way of Ohio and Indiana.
With cheerful yellow walls and two intimate rooms, the space has developed into a great community gathering spot on one of Silver Spring's most eclectic and delightful commercial blocks. Some patrons arrive by themselves, share news with Abeba and Lene and then set themselves down at one of Kefa's eight tables--four in the front room, four in the room to the side--to read the daily paper or catch up on work. Others are there to meet friends or join fellow members of a local civic group.
Size and layout help to foster a sense of community, says Frankie Blackburn of IMPACT Silver Spring. "I love the way tables are so close in a small area. On several occasions I have had the experience of a stranger feeling comfortable coming to me and asking about a community or issue that they heard me mention to the colleague or friend I was talking with." She credits Lene and Abeba for creating an environment that promotes such interactions. "Upon walking in the door, you immediately feel welcomed and included."
This element is significant, notes Blackburn, because a problem with retail spaces "is that there's no intentional process for stopping and getting to know others, as we pass by them or stand in line."
| Photo: Julie Wiatt |  | | Now that's a serious coffee grinder — seen at Mayorga. | Besides spurring social interaction, the mark of a true third place is that it gives back to its community. One way Kefa does this is by offering a venue for local artists and then hosting openings and receptions at "Space 7:10 at Kefa Café," which is described on the web as "an organic art space exhibiting an evolving mix of contemporary, outsider, visionary, and world cultural artwork." In addition to visual arts, it occasionally hosts live music and readings.
For a listing of events information, visit http://space710atkefa.blogspot.com/
A related quality of the best third places is that they provide meeting space for civic groups.
"I often joke that IMPACT Silver Spring wouldn't have formed without the informal office space we enjoyed at Kefa," Blackburn tells me. "In the early days, I often held two or three meetings per DAY at Kefa. I NEVER felt like I wore out my welcome. They also volunteered to keep the store open for our Lasting IMPACT meetings and prepared a light meal for our members." She adds, "The real beauty of Kefa Café is the two proprietors who genuinely care about the community and their clientele."
Kid-friendly, a portion of one of Kefa's rooms contains children's books and toys.
Some other local options in and near downtown Silver Spring:
Everyday Gourmet:
6923 Laurel Ave, Takoma Park, 301-270-2270
Kirsten's Café:
9326 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, 301-495-9686
La Fonda Paisa Bakery:
7914 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, 301-587-0600
Savory Café:
7071 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park, 301-270-2233
Savory Metro:
314 Carroll St, NW, Washington DC, 202-545-8800
Veronica's Bakery & Café:
8501 Piney Branch Rd, Silver Spring, 301-565-8199
Coming soon:
Highland Coffee & Ethiopian Mart
on Fenton Street at Silver Spring Ave.
Note: Let us know if you have other favorites. If you haven't already done so, sign up for the Big Acorn-Silver Spring Discussion List at http://www.silverspringvoice.com/emailLists.htm
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Gelato, an item not widely available in this area, is one of many good reasons to make Kefa a destination. If you're looking for a gift or something to enjoy at home, the shop also offers coffee beans, teas, chais, chocolates, hand-made Ethiopian scarves, greeting cards, and t-shirts.
Alongside hospitality, coffee is the pride of Kefa's proprietors. If you're inclined to go for one of the basics, you can choose from one of a variety of coffees made each day, everything from Ethiopian Yirgacheffe to a flavored option, Hazlenut. For those wanting something more special, Kefa offers a full range of espresso drinks. As for food, muffins and scones, soups, salads, sandwiches, and quiche are offered. Tortes, cakes, and cheesecakes round out the dessert menu.
Want one more piece of evidence that Kefa is a local treasure? It's been featured as such in the pages of detective novelist George Pelecanos's Hell to Pay .
Kefa Café is located at 963 Bonifant Street. Hours are: Mon-Thurs 7am-6pm, Fri 7am-9pm, Sat 8am-5pm.
Mayorga Coffee Factory: Most hours, most space
When Martin Mayorga decided it was time to branch out from wholesale to retail, he took a chance on a part of Silver Spring that was not on many people's radar screens. While most development activity was occurring blocks away, the then 29-year-old businessman envisioned his South Silver Spring coffeehouse-by-day, lounge-by-night becoming a destination for area residents. Once transformed, the spacious 1930s property at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Blair Mill Road, which had recently been vacated by Abbey Photo, could be a perfect draw.
When it opened in the spring of 2003, community members were immediately impressed by the coffeehouse's size, its plush leather couches and chairs, the walls, painted vibrant shades of orange, avocado, and gold, and a stunning mural of coffee growers by local artist Cheryl Foster.
Open into the night, Mayorga's identity shifts throughout the day. It's a place for grabbing a mug of coffee in the morning, a popular spot for lunch in the afternoon, a workspace throughout the day, and a setting to relax, listen to live music, and enjoy a drink in the evening, in the company of friends.
The young entrepreneur, who divides his time between the retail and wholesale ends of his business is fond of saying that a good coffeehouse is one that adapts to its community's needs. As a result, Mayorga Coffee is always evolving.
 | | Frank Cassel, the Banjo Man, gives local children an excuse for an outing to Mayorga Café. |
With 6,200 square feet, Mayorga might not have the intimacy of nearby cafes, but the extra footage lends flexibility. Also helping to satisfy diverse community needs are the various seating options offered. Perch yourself at one of three tall tables near the windows overlooking Georgia Avenue and you'll be afforded a view of passing Metro trains, as well as an outlet for your laptop. Intent on focusing and being productive, you may choose to take your work to the darker space in the back, near the coffee roaster, or behind the side room, which is closed off, allowing quiet and privacy.
Hugh Taft-Morales has been a regular since June. That's when he left his teaching position at Edmund Burke after 19 years, and became a participant in the leadership program of the Humanist Institute in New York. The Takoma Park resident now calls Mayorga one of three "offices," a place he typically comes to work at least twice a week for two to four hour stretches.
What brings Taft-Morales to Mayorga? He lists Wi-Fi Internet access, the guarantee of ample space and good coffee, as well as the Greek salad. That the music is loud enough to mask conversations, but not too loud, is also important.
When asked if there are any drawbacks to using a third place as a workspace, Taft-Morales replies: "Usually I like it because the level of noise helps keep me awake, but when there's a single loud conversation, especially if it's inane, such as a debate over the winner of Dancing with the Stars , I sometimes fixate on how obnoxious it is."
Because catering to the whole community is important to Mayorga, children are welcome at this coffeehouse. A corner of the main room houses toys and tiny, kid-sized tables, and Fred Cassel, the locally renowned "Banjo Man," performs each Thursday beginning at 11:00 a.m.
From the start, art and music, not just Cassel's, have had a significant presence at Mayorga. Rotating exhibitions grace the walls, and evenings find an array of area talents performing. That's when lights are dimmed and jazz and reggae fill the air. Coffee specialty drinks are popular options during the evening, as are martinis and imported and micro-brewed tap beers. Hook & Ladder, an ale brewed in Silver Spring, is one of the selections on tap.
Above all else, Martin Mayorga, who was born in Guatemala and grew up in Nicaragua, prides himself on coffee. Since 1998, he's been a roaster and wholesaler for clients as diverse as Costco and Marvelous Market. Given that background, Mayorga sees that family farmers are paid a fair price for planting, cultivating, and sorting high-grade shade-grown specialty coffee beans that he then roasts. He travels regularly to Central America to meet with them.
Because of all the amenities this third place offers, management requests that customers show their appreciation by purchasing more than a mug of coffee. Fortunately, the menu offers appealing food options, among them the Cuban and a roasted vegetable sandwich, a full brunch buffet on Sundays, and a nice array of desserts.
Seemingly shielded from any adverse effects of downtown's revitalization when it opened, Mayorga has faced challenges in the past year or so. When JBG Companies, developers of a condominium project began construction, it led to the closure of Blair Mill Road and with it the loss of parking spaces that patrons had come to rely on. At one point, business was down considerably.
As a way of alleviating the problem, JBG announced it would pay for valet parking, free to those who get their tickets validated at Mayorga and neighboring businesses, all of whom await the many new customers that this and other nearby developments promise to bring.
Mayorga Coffee Factory is located at 8040 Georgia Avenue. Hours are: Mon-Wed 7am-9pm, Thurs-Fri 7am-10pm, Sat 8am-10pm, and Sun 8am-8pm.
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