Carolyn Kirkby, owner of Carolyn’s Coffee Connection, 1351 52nd St., said surviving difficult economic times means being able to adapt.

For her, that meant opening up in an unlikely location, in a newly renovated building on a traditionally gritty urban stretch just west of the Union Pacific Railroad viaduct.

“I’m able to kind of do more over here and focus more on growing my business,” Kirkby said.

A drive-through window provides early-morning service to users of the nearby Metra station, and the coffee shop recently began selling train station parking passes.

Kirkby said she’s also marketing her business for parties and other group events — Carolyn’s hosted its first baby shower last weekend, she said. Beginning this weekend, she will close the shop earlier, at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and 1 p.m. Sundays, to devote her staff to private events.

Click HERE to read the article at the Kenosha News

Intelligentsia’s Michael Phillips teaches Wayne the “pour over” method for brewing coffee at home.

In the world of coffee, there are so many factors that can affect that perfect cup, and to be honest, I’m not an expert. So, I decided to get the facts and some tips from one of Chicago’s most talented baristas.

Michael Phillips, of Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea, is the first back-to-back winner of the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s 2010 United States Barista Championship. In this competition he had to make four espressos, four cappuccinos and four specialty drinks in 15 minutes. To win back-to-back titles, he’s obviously fast and efficient. But, more importantly, he knows his beans.

Because coffee beans are harvested seasonally in different regions much like other fresh produce, Michael explained that a good coffee shop will only stock beans that are in season and have been freshly roasted. The roasting date of any beans for home use should be with a few days of your purchase. Additionally, grinding your beans at home is also critical to capturing the best flavor. Purchasing a good quality grinder is a smart investment.

If you want to make your own lattes and espressos at home, be prepared to spend a bit of money on the right type of machine. For consistency and quality, espresso machines that Michael recommends range from $650 to $7,500 depending on the volume

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2009 USBC Champion and Intelligentsia Broadway Store Educator Mike Phillips stars in a series of coffee education videos for Epicurious on everything from buying to grinding to storing to brewing great coffee at home.

By Judy Hevrdejs, Tribune newspapers
April 3, 2010

In a java-loving world dominated by Starbucks and flavored with local roasters ranging from Metropolis and Casteel to Stewarts and PapaNicholas, Zell has carved a niche for Intelligentsia based on his coffee — and coffee-drinking — philosophies.

His mission: to change your notion about that cup of coffee you’re drinking.

It should be “a culinary experience,” he says. “The experience we deliver in our stores could be transformational to the way people perceive coffee, that it’s not just more of the same, that it’s not a fast-food experience.”

Zell believes aficionados of the bean should enjoy coffees in season when a bean first comes to market and savor single-origin brews as well as blends. Coffee should be paired with foods. Each cup should be brewed to order. And espresso should be perfect. Always. Click HERE to read the article

More than one person questioned Carolyn Kirkby’s sanity — including herself — after she decided to move her upscale, popular cafe to a boarded-up building in a tattered part of town.

Kirkby said people labeled as “crazy” the idea to move Carolyn’s Coffee Connection to 1351 52nd St.

“I started to get that same feeling, given that they said I had been drawing crowds that wouldn’t venture into what some people deemed a not-so-great area,” she said. “But to tell the truth, I’ve had no problems. People continue to walk through the door.”

Click HERE to read the Kenosha News Article