Joe's Bar and Grill offers iced coffee and espresso drinks made in-house, along with a nice collection of brews. And no, you can't get any of that newfangled trendy coffee stuff here — just the regular iced coffees.
"The specialty coffee stuff is for people who want a fancy cup of coffee that's going to cost them more," owner John Shaffer says.
They only do about a dozen kinds of drinks, all made from beans from the likes of Starbucks and Caribou Coffee. Shaffer said he's never been a coffee snob, and he says it's never been about showing off — rather, it's about quality.
"This is a bar, not a specialty coffee shop," Shaffer said. "Customers just expect you to make a good cup of coffee, not something they could make at home."
Like many local businesses, they couldn't survive without online ordering. So customers can get their favorite coffee right here, right now.
"We have several things that are already sold out, but there's another shipment coming in next week, and we can take some other orders," Shaffer said.
You might say there's a "new coffee shop" in downtown Columbia. It's just got a slightly different vibe than the local coffee shops.
There's no latte art or baristas in striped aprons working a cross-town coffee run. And they don't take your order on a tablet. Instead, when you walk in, the line begins.
The menu gives you the basic ingredients of each drink you can have here: a "Boulevard" which is a mix of coffee, milk and a little vanilla, and a "Sweet Jane" that is similar. You can get them topped with whipped cream, too.
The "Boulevard" comes in a cup and is only 50 cents. And you can get two "Sweet Janes" for about the same price. If you want more than that, well, you'll need to pick up the phone and dial in your order.
For coffee shop newcomer James Stenger, it's all about his business partner.
"This is a bar for people who want a fancy cup of coffee that's going to cost them more," said James Stenger, who opened Joe's with his business partner, John Shaffer.
You can order a "Boulevard" or a "Sweet Jane" for 50 cents each, or add $1 more for an addition to either drink.
And if you want a coffee to go with it, Shaffer said, you can do that. He even offers to fill up your cup with as many shots of espresso as you want.
It's a new take on an old idea, he said, and it gives customers a simple way to get coffee while ordering something to eat.
"In Columbia, people come into the coffee shops and order an alcoholic beverage and then an iced coffee," Shaffer said. "And then they stand in line to pay their bill and leave."
It's easy to get in and get out, he says. But he says he's more concerned with his customers being happy.
"So we make it simple," Shaffer said. "If you have some time, then you come in and sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee. If you've got to be somewhere, you can grab a cup of coffee and take it with you."
So instead of having your typical iced coffee, you're going to get it out of a thermos in your bag and a cup with a lid.
But there's a twist.
"Customers will actually be carrying around their drinks," Shaffer said.
And just like with most coffee shops, people are going to ask: "Is it cold?"
Shaffer laughs.
"No," he said. "It's hot."
That's the only thing they keep warm.
You're more likely to get cold coffee in Columbia from the local coffee shop, Shaffer said. But he figures at this point, it'll sell pretty well.
"It's a real simple idea," he said. "So we hope that people like it."
Shaffer said they'll continue to do the same thing with the coffee. They'll bring in your drinks to keep them hot and give them to you for free. Just place your order when you arrive and place the drink in your own cup.
And if you don't want to pay for a drink, Shaffer said he'll let you have it for free.
That's a common practice for coffeehouses, but people had to remember to come back and get it.
"So far people haven't been coming to get their drinks," he said. "We don't have a problem with it.
"I'm really hoping that the word gets out that this is a nice, simple coffee shop where you can get a great cup of coffee, even if you don't want to order a food item."
Here's what they recommend for the perfect cup:
Fill the cup with as much coffee as you want, just remember to pick up the cup with the lid.
Then add as many shots of espresso as you want.
Shaffer said the baristas will make your coffee as soon as you order.
The thermos idea has worked in other countries, but Shaffer said the Columbia residents were the first to get the idea. He says he's never seen it in the U.S. before, although he has seen it with his mother-in-law's customers.
For more information or to order a coffee, call (901) 563-1518 or visit www.joe-coffee.com.
"I know a lot of bars and coffee shops in this area and we've been doing really well," he said. "This is the first place in Columbia to do it that I know of, but it's becoming quite a hot topic around here."
He said that he'll continue to have as many cups of coffee as anyone wants — even people who haven't ordered anything.
For now, Shaffer said he just wants people to come in and try it, so he can get a sense of how it does with the public.
"If we get a great response, then we'll just see," he said. "If the response is bad, then maybe I'll think about giving it up and maybe go back to coffee that is just a fancy cup of coffee that's going to cost people more money."
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