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NINE BARS Have coffee, will travel STORY AND PHOTOS BY SARAH HUMMELL F or me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of going on vaca- tion is seeking out independently owned coffeehouses. However, that part of traveling is more research than recre- ational: As a shop owner myself, I like to check out what others in the industry are doing, and I appreciate finding coffee shops that take as much pride in what they serve as I do. My husband, Justin, and I are the owners of Café Roche Espresso Bar in Winston-Salem, N.C. With so many shops located in our area, we try to distinguish ourselves by embracing the global aspect of coffee with what we call the World Espresso Tour. In addition to the Italian-based drinks common in many cafés, we feature espresso drinks that originated or are popular in Cuba, South America, Spain, France, Austria, New Zealand and Vietnam. Part of the reason the menu is a hit is that our customers are well traveled and eager to try new things; there are other cities where our mission would not be as successful. But because we have an audience that's eager for new coffee experiences, we do our best to deliver some diversity. And an integral part of that process is seeing what other shops are doing. INITIAL IMPRESSIONS Over the years, we've developed a specific routine for discov- ering coffeehouses when we're on the road. First we do some 52 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com research before hitting a new city, using Google and other sites like Trip Advisor to get a feel for the coffee scene. We read user reviews but take them with a grain of salt, and we don't let a bad review keep us from checking out a place—our shop has received the occasional negative review, so we know first-hand that one person's opinion is not definitive. But we do use the online reviews as starting points to get an idea of what customers are saying, and then we take mental notes of what to look for. The first thing we'll do upon checking out a place—whether we're driving or walking—is cruise the neighborhood around the location. We get a feel for the surroundings and evaluate the shop's accessibility. Was it a challenge to find parking? If there was a lot, was it easy to get in and out of it? We're constantly trying to solve the parking conundrum at Café Roche. Our lot has ample space but is on a hill, which can be tough for parents with small children or customers who can't get around well. Because coffee drinkers value convenience, easy parking is a big plus, and we're always looking at how other shops handle parking challenges. Next, we examine the shop's exterior; one area of opportunity for us is improving our curb appeal. Café Roche is located in an old building that could be maintained better. Most independents don't own the buildings their shops are housed in, so their hands are usually tied when it comes to making major capital improvements.