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Catching Coffee Shops: Fair Trade Community Kitchen

The bright blue tables add flair at Fair Trade Café. (Daniel Kwon/The State Press)
The bright blue tables add flair at Fair Trade Café. (Daniel Kwon/The State Press)

Fair Trade Café, located near Central Avenue and Van Buren on Jan. 11, 2015. The bright blue tables add flair to the Fair Trade Café. (Daniel Kwon/The State Press) Fair Trade Café, located near Central Avenue and Van Buren on Jan. 11, 2015. The bright blue tables add flair to the Fair Trade Café. (Daniel Kwon/The State Press)

Cafés: where our favorite friends congregated, where sleep ridden eyes get their jolt of life every day. Although this is the main purpose of cafés to some, but for me, a cafe is so much more than a place to grab my caramel latte.

A café is my place of solitude. Where I go to study, write or chat with a friend. When I sit down in a cafe, a calm sweeps over me. It’s a simple feeling of happiness. I can focus more, and my dynamic changes as I tackle whatever it is that I want to accomplish.

Now, we all love our quick Starbucks in the morning, and our 24-hour Dutch Bros where we can get a caffeine fix at 2 a.m. if need be, but this isn’t the sort of café I mean. I’m referring to the ones with couches, and mix matched tables, the cozy taverns most people overlook. That’s where I find my feeling of peace.

On the Downtown campus, across from the post office building, sits a quaint and tranquil café: The Fair Trade Community Kitchen. Big bright orange chairs in one corner, a sofa in the other and a long kitchen style table to complete the setting. It feels quite similar to a home. A chalkboard painted wall behind the counter serves as the menu. Not only can you get coffee, but it has smoothies, pastries, breakfast items, and even cocktails, beer and wine.

Oddly enough, even though this café is on the Downtown campus, it’s rare to see the place packed. Actually, it's even rare to see more than 10 people there. However, I consider that to be part of the appeal. Murals upon the walls, and diverse, soothing music plays in the background, as people read books or silently type away on laptops.

Fair Trade is locally owned, and all of its coffee is locally roasted. I sat at a turquoise painted table where messages like “keep your money in our community" and “independent businesses provides meaningful service with a personal touch” were handwritten on the perimeter in sharpie. Locally owned businesses are an environmental and economic benefit to encourage, providing yet another reason to visit Fair Trade.

Fair Trade Café, located near Central Avenue and Van Buren on Jan. 11, 2015. The unique interior is complete with floral highlights. (Daniel Kwon/The State Press) Fair Trade Café, located near Central Avenue and Van Buren on Jan. 11, 2015. The unique interior is complete with floral highlights. (Daniel Kwon/The State Press)

Truth be told, the coffee is a hit or miss, depending on what barista you happen to meet. However the coffee cake is always exceptional, making my trip undoubtedly worth it each time. It’s the atmosphere of the cafe that is the main appeal. There seems to be something special in feeling as if you are in your own little bubble, whilst being out in the world. That’s the sort of environment Fair Trade gives, an escape worth visiting whenever you are in downtown Phoenix.

 

Reach the reporter at dpharias@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @Dpharias

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