Opinion

Coffee shop brings back old memories

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

It was time for me to get my "coffee" fix at my favorite coffee house. It was a rainy morning, and I couldn't work in my flower garden so I took off for Wisconsin Rapids and headed for the Coffee House.

They always have a couple of breakfast specials. That day it was cinnamon rolls and coffee for two bucks. What a bargain. But I soon decided I would rather have a blueberry scone. I wasn't disappointed, I took my coffee and scone and found a nice leather over-stuffed chair and plopped myself down, and as always just sort of relaxed and began to observe all of the people who came in. Some were regulars that I had seen before but there were many new faces, all waiting for that first cup of joe.

Before it was a coffee house it was a men's clothing shop, a very old building that has much character and memories of bygone days. The floors are big wooden plank floors. I remember one of the houses in Fort Scott that we lived in had floors just like it. A huge mural on one wall begins with the picking of the coffee beans, then huge gunny sacks of coffee beans, then a big commercial coffee grinder, finally several pots of brewed coffee. And then the end result, a hand pouring the coffee and another hand holding out a lovely china teacup. Along two walls are ledges that hold new and vintage cups in various colors, shapes and sizes, plus old coffee cans. I even donated one. It is a two pound can of Red Rooster Coffee. I don't know where I ever bought it, but I haven't seen any in grocery stores for years. There are also all kinds of old coffee pots, very interesting. There is an old church pew with a lovely double wedding ring quilt draped over the back. There are several booths with old gunny sack pads on the back and seats, plus a few round tables and chairs.

In the back of the room is what they call their gathering place. There is a magazine and book rack, a long table that probably seats twelve, where groups or clubs may hold meetings. There was a group of men at the table the day I was there.

On one of the walls is a huge chalk board that is always in use. The restrooms were added when the owner took over. This is the most interesting part of the coffee house, the owner of the shop has a 60's vintage Volkswagen bus sitting on top of the restrooms. Mind you it is just the shell mounted on wheels, but what a sight to behold. It is painted in psychedelic colors and flowers and all sorts of icons are painted on it. It looks for all the world like it is just getting ready to take off for Woodstock, N.Y. Remember (you old timers) the Woodstock Music Festival back in 1969? The people of Woodstock decided they didn't want it, so it ended up being on Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel N.Y. According to information I gleaned from the Internet, the organizers were expecting 100,000 people at the most and it ended up being between 400,000 to 500,000. It began as an organized event and developed into the biggest rock festival of all time. It has been 40 years since Woodstock made history. Every time I go into the coffee shop, I think of Woodstock.