Hide and Seek and Seek and Seek
I do not even know how much time I have spent looking for coffee establishments. In all honesty, it probably isn’t a whole lot of time, but the frustration of wandering in futility makes it seem like eons.
A Huffington Post headline proclaimed, “Denver Spends 8th Most per Capita On Coffee In U.S.” The Daily Beast claims that Denver is 4th in per capita coffee consumption, and that the U.S. drinks, “400 million cups every day—or more than 4,600 cups every second and 300 billion pounds of beans every year.” If that is true, and I have no reason to believe it isn’t, why in the world is it so difficult to find a measly coffee shop??
You will have to forgive me – I’m going to take the liberty to rant a bit. One of my biggest pet peeves is to have my time wasted. It is second only to being ignored. I do not even know how much time I have spent looking for coffee establishments. In all honesty, it probably isn’t a whole lot of time, but the frustration of wandering in futility makes it seem like eons.
This irritating phenomenon began one Saturday afternoon – which had already been filled with bothersome bouts of frustration. I knew that I would be in Thornton for a few minutes, and researched coffee shops in the area. There was a little place called The Coffee Mug, located within minutes of my destination. By the time I was in the vicinity, time was running short, and I had to be in Arvada. Knowing I would be in Thornton at a later date, I postponed my visit in favor of finding another place somewhere along the way. Bad decision. For the rest of the day, the pressure of irritation built up as I searched in vain for the sight of coffee. Now, of course, I passed countless Starbucks, but because of their proliferation I chose not to visit them yet. All the way to Arvada North, then to Old Arvada, then South on Wadsworth, my journey continued.
When I was unsuccessful, I turned to my next appointed destination – Brighton. Nothing. On the way, I was assured that there was a coffee shop right off the highway. When I arrived, it had closed only one half hour earlier. I followed a friend to what was supposed to be a Dazbog, but it had been transformed into something Mexican and very un-coffee-ish. I desperately begged for help on Facebook, and a friend quickly replied with two coffee shop locations. Upon arrival, both were nonexistent. 7-Eleven was suggested, and I almost took it. I suppose it is no surprise that Brighton does have four Starbucks. The day ended with all of my coffee-seeking desires unfulfilled.
The struggle continued at a later date. As we embarked on a coffee adventure, my friend was confident in her android phone and all of its fancy applications - one of which was a coffee shop locator. We tried two locations that it suggested. The first could not be found. The second was called the Shady Lady Café. I felt sure that something as odd as that, if we were willing to risk entrance, would prove profitable. It didn’t exist.
Still later, after an evening with friends in Boulder, I decided it would be a great opportunity to sample some of Boulder’s finest coffee choices. Granted, it was eleven o’clock at night, but it was Friday! Where better to have late-night coffee shops than a bustling college town? No such luck. My brother and I wandered up and down the entirety of the Pearl Street Mall to no avail. We then drove aimlessly through the college business district, but returned to Denver coffee-less.
Finally, yesterday, I had the opportunity to return to the forsaken location where it all began. After weeks of prolonged waiting, I set out, once again, for The Coffee Mug in Thornton. I was a bit unsure of the location, but when I got to the intersection, I saw the complex sign. Along the street, and again at the entrance, it proclaimed The Coffee Mug as one of its inhabitants. It wasn’t. It does not exist. I could not even find a place where it should have been. I have since looked for their website again, but it is defunct. I circled the parking lot in desperation, but the entire place was bereft of coffee. I left with anxiety and irritated desperation. I can’t exactly review coffee shops if they don’t exist. From there, I drove through every business complex I could find in the area. I could have gotten sixteen types of insurance, and each of my fingernails done by a different shop, but the world denied my coffee pursuit. There is something seriously wrong with this picture.
HUFFPOST DENVER: Denver Spends 8th Most Per Capita On Coffee In U.S.
The Daily Beast: 20 Most Caffeinated Cities
ORIGINAL COMMENTS
Unknown, May 18, 2011 at 4:27 PM
You are beginning to sound like a true coffee drinker needing a fix! Ha-ha.
I see a random coffee shop every once and awhile and now, like you, I can't find them again. If I do come across any, I will be sure to pass them on to you... With a photo of their existence!!!
