Whew! What a week! I know that I haven't sent a newsletter in a while, and a lot has changed. Three weeks ago we received a PPP loan and were able to bring back our full staff. This allowed us to thoroughly clean the whole store, and work on other projects around here. Then last week we received permission from the county, along with other restaurants, to reopen. Well it took us ten days to get everything in place, but I am pleased to say that yesterday we were able to open our doors.

It looks different in here. We've set it up as a one-way flow, with the entrance on Bank St. and the exit on South Auburn St. We removed half the tables to ensure that all seats could be six feet apart. The self-serve area is gone, and there are marks on the floor to show you where to stand while you're waiting. It's different, but it's safe, and we're glad to reopen with these standards in place. It is important to us that our employees and our customers remain healthy.

We are still offering our curbside pickup service, so if you are high risk, or if you simply are not comfortable coming inside, you can call 530 273-6424. An employee with mask and gloves will bring your order to your car. For those of you who are able, we're very excited to welcome you back! It's so good to see faces for longer than a drive by. You can be assured that we are disinfecting regularly, and that it's safe to come in.

Thank you to all of you who have supported us during this time. We appreciate your patience as things keep changing. You have kept us going, and kept our crew employed. This community means the world to us, and we hope you know that we appreciate each of you. Our gratitude for our customers has strengthened since we locked our doors back on March 20th. You have brought us through the last two months: thank you!

This week we have a new Sumatran coffee for you. This Sumatra Kerinci Palompek is a unique fully washed Indonesian, in a country that often lacks the infrastructure to offer washed processing. It comes from the Barokah Cooperative, whose members grow coffee on small plots around Mount Kerinci, the tallest Indonesian volcano. According to our broker, “The cooperative works closely with producers to decrease forest encroachment. Their farm management practices create a protective buffer for the Kerinci Seblat national park, which encircles the entire Kerinci valley with unparalleled natural beauty and habitat for the Sumatran Tiger.”

In the cup this outstanding offering has a bright acidity seldom found in an Indonesian bean, and then it finishes with a sweet and full-bodied creamy chocolate tone. It's a delicious study in contrasts, and I found myself taking sip after sip to discover all the nuances. I'm definitely taking home some to brew this week.

I also want to let you know that our Tanzanian Peaberry is back in stock. We brewed it two weeks ago, but I didn't send a newsletter that week. I hope that you all enjoy your Memorial Day weekend. We will be open Monday, 7a - 4 pm, if you're looking for a drink. To those of you who are also part of Phase 2, welcome back. We love seeing shops and restaurants reopening. To those of you who are not able to open yet, we are thinking of you. Know that when you do open (hair salons, movie theaters, hotels, and so many others), we will be there. We will support you like you have supported us. We hope that day is soon. Have a good weekend, and drink good coffee. Cheers!

--Holly Fike