by David Chapman
Staff Writer
You can smell the Maxwell House manufacturing plant miles away from its Bay Street location, but only recently has the Downtown coffee craving community had so many options to get a fresh cup of joe, espresso or cappuccino.
And while the number of coffee shops in Downtown and parts of Riverside and San Marco together pale in comparison to say, Manhattan (with its 171 Starbucks), satiating a thirst for a brewed concoction is now usually just a short walk away from many Downtown locations.
Not all of the coffee is brewed equal, though.
The national bean-brewed behemoth known as Starbucks has three locations in the Downtown area with stores at the Landing, 11 E and 1650 Margaret St. All three opened within the past eight years, with the 11 E location the newest.
Though the national chain gets its market share of the coffee consumers, there are multiple boutique options for people in need of a java fix.
“We’re the oldest gourmet coffee shop in Jacksonville,” said Steve Hicks, owner of Shelby’s Coffee Shoppe in the Main Library. “Even before Starbucks came to town.”
Hicks has owned the Downtown Shelby’s since its grand opening last year, while the original Shelby’s in Neptune Beach is owned by his mother.
Hicks doesn’t see Starbucks as competition, but noted that it is difficult to get people with routines to try something different.
“Some people, they have the same thing for breakfast or get the same coffee from the same place every day,” he said. “But I’ve always said that if the quality maintains, the quantity will increase.”
Hicks estimates he serves between 150 and 200 people a day and while business hasn’t been as good as he had hoped (especially during the holidays), it hasn’t been bad either. He said that Shelby’s stands out from others with its extensive lunch menu and its location inside the library. Library foot traffic is key, he said, for business.
But he also attributes success to serving a quality cup of coffee that varies from day-to-day.
“I truly believe we set the standard for coffee in Jacksonville,” he said.
Al Mulkey would probably disagree with Hicks’ brew-based boast.
“I think we have the best coffee in town,” said Mulkey, manager of Bread and Butter Cafe on the corner of Laura and Adams streets. “I get told all the time from customers that our coffee is better than others around.”
Mulkey said the majority of his morning menu of breakfast sandwich, donut, bagel and pastry combos revolve around coffee.
The cafe has been open for less than a year, but Mulkey already has daily regulars and attributes the early success to the variety of coffee flavors. Currently, Mulkey said on average he serves 40-50 people coffee a day.
Even with the presence of a Starbucks and Shelby’s just a block away, Mulkey said that getting a share of the coffee customer base is challenging.
“No matter what, we’re going to be in competition with the other guys around here,” he said. “It’s to be expected.”
The competition isn’t just between the national chains and local brands. With a multitude of standalone coffee houses, kiosks within larger buildings and local eateries that serve coffee within a couple miles of Downtown, even the smaller stores are affected by each other’s business.
“I think there’s room for everyone,” said Diane Lee, owner of Uncommon Grounds in San Marco. “You just have to have a good product.”
Lee said that her store has a “traditional true coffee house” feel and attributes much of her success to the atmosphere Uncommon Grounds has had for the three years it has been open.
Couches, oversized chairs and bookshelves full of board games litter the store and it’s that tranquil feel that Lee says brings repeat customers.
She noted that she serves 100-200 people a day and her store also sells beer and wine and has live music, something that other stores don’t offer.
The populated coffee market hasn’t deterred growth yet, as the latest coffee shop, Chock Full O’Chicks, recently opened just down the street from Uncommon Grounds on Hendricks Avenue.
“Our customers want to come in and relax,” said Mona Springett. “We let our product speak for itself.”
The shop is located within the 3 Eclectic Chicks Art Boutique and is owned by Springett, Marsha Moore and Joyce Breckenridge.
Like others, their newest endeavor offers a different experience to customers within the gallery and though they serve gourmet coffees and have various flavor syrups, it’s their tea that they exhibit the most.
“We’re so proud of our teas,” said Springett, while showing a rack full of teas. “Once people smell them, they’re hooked.”
On top of the tea collection, the boutique offers numerous classes on topics such like scrapbooking, skin care and knitting. During the breaks in classes, said Springett, people usually flock to the cafe for a drink.
Jacksonville isn’t Seattle yet with three Starbucks and a Seattle’s Best on over street corner. But, there are several quality coffee shops in a relatively small area. Each one fills a niche and each one seems to be doing well.