Lamill Coffee - LA

I found a new shop that I look up to - Lamill Coffee. Located in Los Angeles, Lamill is doing many of the things that I hope Evoke does in it's near future. If I haven't said it 102 times, I've said it 126 times - one of my favorite days is when the newest episode of Fresh Cup or Barista Mag show up. I literally will read them cover to cover the first day and then have my nose in them almost everyday after for a week or two. I can't get enough. Well, I was reading in the newest Fresh Cup and came across a section that I always enjoy reading - Cafe Crossroads. In this section, the magazine interviews and outlines a coffee company from our industry. This column ranges from small operations to large ones and really has no framework other than the business being in coffee. It's great to see what others are doing. I was really caught up by this months Crossroads. Lamill Coffee (logo came from their website) is a cool place and if I lived in LA, I would be a regular. Here is a bit from the Who We Are section on their site: We are consumed by coffee. Not just experts, we are zealots, solely focused on the bronzed bean. We don’t do gourmet olives, we don’t do baked goods and we don’t do after-coffee mints. Heck, we like coffee breath. At LA MILL we only do coffee. We are equally obsessive about our clients. We’ve made a pledge to our clients, to supply them with not only the finest coffee in the world but also to deliver a service program that is unlike anything in the industry. Our pledge is what distinguishes us from the competition. We’re not here to tell you what you want to hear, we’re here to make a difference to your business. Like a good chef, we have an area of expertise and this is what we stick to. We’ve no interest in catering to the masses. If you’re looking for a low-cost provider, that’s not us. If you’re looking for eclectic premium coffee and a service program unique to the industry, that’s us—we’re LA MILL COFFEE. These guys are what Evoke hopes to be I think. While our concept is different in many areas, I think this is the first place I have heard of that really seems to have the same attitude as Evoke - upscale, eclectic, friendly, coffee oriented, passionate, serious, fun. There is something humbling about a coffee "boutique" that can be as firm with their offering (menu) as Lamill and now come across as snobbish or unjust. I think that is a fine line that every specialty coffee shop needs to be careful of. While your customer is always right (you know what I mean), you still have to be who you are. I hear horror stories from friends who have walked in to shops that I would say have the right things going. Stories of baristas being out right assholes and almost refusing to make a mocha. Not good. I have not met the staff at Lamill yet but based on the interview, I feel like they have the right head on their shoulders. They understand that the customers are how they survive and they want to pass along the passion of coffee and espresso that they have to their customers. Smart. What I like most about this shop, however, is that they paired with an esteemed LA Chef. They are unique in their food. They are unique in their service. And they are providing an experience - not just a cup of coffee or a shot of espresso. Evoke is going to happen - one way or another - and probably in Oklahoma City. Lamill will be a shop that I hope to talk with before we go forward with our version of a great coffee retail operation. ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke, coffee catering, coffee, espresso, tea, oklahoma, oklahoma city The Global Exchange Fair Trade Store is your Online Source for Socially Conscious Gifts