buckfush Senior Member Joined: 11 Mar 2008 Posts: 18 Location: philadelphia, pa Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Sun Mar 30, 2008, 7:40pm Subject: No Clover in Philly?!
Hey fellow geeks,
I was just checking the clover map on their website, and couldn't help noticing that the town I've called home for the past 7.5 years has NO CLOVERS IN IT! However, within this very state, their are clovers in Pittsburgh, State College, and SCRANTON of all places. How can this be? This is America's 5th largest city, right behind Houston and in front of Phoenix. Well, at least with the SBUX takeover, we may be able to look forward to a nice burnt-to-a-crisp cafe Verona or Yukon blend being badly made in a clover.
PeaberryPicker Senior Member Joined: 27 Jun 2006 Posts: 203 Location: West Chester, PA Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Astoria CKE Drip: gold mesh
Posted Mon Mar 31, 2008, 4:29am Subject: Re: No Clover in Philly?!
Getting Philadelphia to embrace a new coffee concept is a little bit like getting Philadelphia to accept a football team other than the Eagles. Well, not exactly, but it is part of the fabric of the town to stick with the Tried and True. There is a strong feeling of autonomy and solidarity (left over from the signing of the Declaration of Independence, or maybe the D. I. came out of that feeling). The people of this town feel like the originators of things, not the adopters of things.
There was to be a Clover in Ardmore within the next few weeks, but the buyer canceled last week after the announcement of the buy-out.
I believer that your prediction that the first Philadelphia Clover will be a in a Starbucks location is most likely correct. However, if you check out this article which reviews some of the single origin coffees that they brew on a Clover (not the Yukon blend), you will see that not everything has been subjected to the deep levels of roast most identified with Starbucks. Some of them have received a very favorable review in fact. So when the time comes, if you have not ever experienced the automatic joy and excitement of the Clover, you will be able to do so at SBs with some pretty good coffee.
buckfush Senior Member Joined: 11 Mar 2008 Posts: 18 Location: philadelphia, pa Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Mon Mar 31, 2008, 4:38am Subject: Re: No Clover in Philly?!
Yes, I did read the article with George Howell taste-testing the SBUX clover in Boston. Actually, I think that he only liked 1 or 2 of the 5 coffees tried. Somehow, I think that they (SBUX) will be very judicious with where they put clovers, and I just can't imagine the machine paying for itself at very many Philly locations, where most of the people come in for white chocolate lattes and the like.
PhillySteve Senior Member Joined: 17 Mar 2008 Posts: 32 Location: Philadelphia Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: La Marzocco GS/3 Grinder: Cimbali Max Hybrid, Mazzer... Vac Pot: not anymre Drip: only if I must Roaster: a bunch of'em
Posted Mon Mar 31, 2008, 5:01am Subject: Re: No Clover in Philly?!
Chestnut Hill Coffee Company had one in the shop last year. I guess they were just demoing it for themselves and the customers. If you stop in there, John Hornall can probably shed some light on the subject.
Posted Mon Mar 31, 2008, 6:46am Subject: Re: No Clover in Philly?!
buckfush Said:
I was just checking the clover map on their website, and couldn't help noticing that the town I've called home for the past 7.5 years has NO CLOVERS IN IT! However, within this very state, their are clovers in Pittsburgh, State College, and SCRANTON of all places. How can this be?
buckfush Senior Member Joined: 11 Mar 2008 Posts: 18 Location: philadelphia, pa Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Thu Apr 3, 2008, 3:53pm Subject: Re: No Clover in Philly?!
Funny story in relation to this topic; on 4/2/08 I was at the Starbucks on 10th and Chestnut, and lo and behold, on their menu, they had an item called "freshly brewed coffee", for $3, which I assumed was clover coffee. However, when I asked the clerks about it, they looked at each other in a puzzled way, and told me that they weren't sure what it was referring to.
Why the hell would they have it on their menu if the machine wasn't in the store? And are their employees so clueless as to not know what's going on?
Posted Thu Apr 3, 2008, 4:16pm Subject: Re: No Clover in Philly?!
I'm not from PA, but from what I've heard, starbucks are starting out w/ clovers in seattle, portland, and seattle. They wanted a west coast and east coast market to start w/ and portland was close enough to seattle it got umbrella'd in.
Used to be true. But if you're in town some time, stop into the Chestnut Hill Coffee Company which operates under the well-seasoned hand of John Hornall (who trained Schomer, btw) of the late Hines Public Market fame. It has been embraced by the galloping hordes.
buckfush Senior Member Joined: 11 Mar 2008 Posts: 18 Location: philadelphia, pa Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Thu Apr 3, 2008, 4:51pm Subject: Re: No Clover in Philly?!
PhillySteve Said:
Used to be true. But if you're in town some time, stop into the Chestnut Hill Coffee Company which operates under the well-seasoned hand of John Hornall (who trained Schomer, btw) of the late Hines Public Market fame. It has been embraced by the galloping hordes.
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