Slightly over a year ago, I was quite excited. I was anticipating the opening of a new coffee shop in Wilmington, and from what I heard from people with sources, it was going to be a Starbucks. The new Donatos small business complex, financed by their wonderful neighbors, the realty folks, was to house Donatos, the new Cash Land, and later come home to Qdoba. Well, one problem. After the new Donatos and gouge land opened up, there was nothing to be seen in way of a coffee shop. So, I patiently waited. And then, I heard it had fallen through. Something about the ‘demographics not being suitable,’ or some nonsense. Wait…not being suitable? Isn’t this a college town? Isn’t there a gigantic airport that employs several thousand from counties across Ohio? Let me get this straight…this small city can support vast industry for airplanes and shipping, higher education, a modest tourism industry and it serves as a county seat, but it cannot support a Starbucks? Sounded patently absurd to me last year. But, now that time has passed, I’ve had some time to think about the idea of Starbucks, and if it really would be a good thing for Wilmington.
Concerning places for coffee in Wilmington and cafe hangouts and such, there really is only one true choice: Jen’s Uptown Deli. Yes, there is that Joe’s Java place, but Jen’s Deli doesn’t come with a dose of indoctrination with it; you can do your own thing, hang out with your laptop, read a book or buy a skateboard. There are good places to get coffee, that’s not in dispute. The Mediterranean restaurant offers a coffee bar, oh, and don’t forget the plethora of gas stations and fast food restaurants and sit down restaurants with “gourmet coffee.” P-l-e-a-s-e. In a sense, I can understand the lack of a more urbane place to buy a cup of coffee. Does Wilmington need a Starbucks? What would a Starbucks do to this town?
At Jen’s Deli, you can get a good cup of coffee for a bit over a dollar, and an latte or a cappuccino for 2-3 something in price. I was recently chatting with Peter, a manger of sorts at the deli, and he was relating an amusing experience of a recent customer who turned out to be a former Starbucks manager, who was asking for a complicated drink order with Peter responding with, “oh, you want this…” and then making the order without the snobby Italian jargon. What is appealing about Jen’s Deli is that it’s a place that doesn’t intimidate. Sure, the owner and most of the staff are kind of “out there,” in a sense, but, they can make a good cup of coffee and do it the way you want it. This adds to the unique culture of Wilmington, I would like to believe.
Does Wilmington need a cookie-cutter coffee experience that has no soul? Well, some would go for that, no doubt. Actually, many would. I might even like to stop in for a breve latte one of these days if one comes to Wilmington. But, what would be even better is a new, independent cafe, dedicated to the coffeehouse environment, where conversation is fostered and the passion and vibrancy of the soul is fueled. Just my opinion though. Maybe some small business owner who is brave enough will take up the challenge to create a new, fresh experience for Wilmington (I would do it myself if I had the circumstances, aka, not being in nursing classes). One of these days, I hope.
done and done.
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