The Blue Lion Coffee Shop: An Impression

It's in an old building--you know, those two-story brick ones that have been lining the main street for the better part of a hundred years perhaps, except it's just off the main street on the first side street south of the railroad tracks.  You can park across the street, parallel to the street, or around the back.  But on a Friday night, there are usually many more cars parked around the bar less than half a block away, on the other side of the main street.

Upstairs there are a couple of apartments.  I don't know how they are normally accessed--presumably from somewhere outside--but there is a spiral staircase going up to them from the coffee shop, between the first two rooms. 

A tiny room behind the stairs is the office of the owner.  The door to the office is painted to look like a bookshelf.  One of my sisters painted that door, and many of the book titles and authors are little inside jokes relating to our family, the family of the owner, and other friends and employees.

But now, to begin at the front door, the first room you enter has tables and chairs and the counter where you order your coffee, desserts, or sandwiches. 

The menu on the wall only includes beverages and desserts, but you can swipe a menu from a table to order other things, such as soups and sandwiches.

There are shelves full of giant glass jars of coffee beans, bottles of special flavorings, plunger-style coffee makers, and CDs.  There is also a rack of wooden kitchen utensils.

Glass cases hold tempting displays of giant cookies, turnovers, eclairs, and cold drinks like fruit juice and Jones soda. 

When I am here, it is not uncommon to see people I know in this room, playing Dutch Blitz or eating a meal and chatting. 

It's kind of a favorite hangout at the moment.

The second room has a couch, a couple of comfy chairs, an end-table with a chess/checkers board painted on it...

a fireplace or two...

three large bookshelves, and a couple of smaller bookcases with some books and games and a set of Encyclopedia Americana that I rescued from the library discard project.

There is also a coat tree.  It's a good place to lounge with a laptop or a book.  But most of the books here are random old ones that you could hardly give away.  Old reference books and books of religious ideas share shelf space with the odd romance novel.  Political commentaries decades old, outdated medical guides, and the odd autobiography may also be found here.  Then there are books on travel, in case one wishes to know what could be found in Italy, or the wilds of Africa... say back in the 70's.  This room is decorated with painted walls suggestive of the ruins of some... well, who knows what the artist had in mind--perhaps a Greek villa?  The two small individual bathrooms are in a hallway off this room.

The third room is the largest.  At one end is a small makeshift stage.

At the other end doors open onto a small patio area. 

There are long tables in this room and sturdy old wooden chairs. 

The ceiling is draped with pleated cloth for an interesting effect. 

This room also has a fireplace--or the impression of one.  Artwork hangs on the walls, about half of it done by one of my sisters during her college career.  Theoretically, it is for sale.  In this room shows are held.  Here we have open mic and Bible study as well.  For shows they can turn off the overhead lights and use garish red and green stage lights.  I find the effect rather weird myself, but it certainly does create an... atmosphere of sorts.  On open mic night, these lights are less likely to be used, and other activities may be going on concurrently, such as a lively Dutch Blitz tournament.  My family loves to come to open mic night.  If we are the only ones there, we will happily sing all evening.  Otherwise, we have an audience, but we have to take turns.  This room also has large book shelves, with more of the same sorts of books as can be found in the second room.

All through the place are various antique coffee urns and other coffee paraphernalia.  The hall with the bathrooms has old coffee sacks stretched and hanging up on it.  There is also a lot of random art work, and a bulletein board where guests are invited to tack up original haiku.  The overhang above the counter has signed pictures of various performers who have put on shows there--mostly local talent--at least, the ones I recognize are.

It's a small-town place all right.  Feels oddly homelike to me, but that's not surprising when members of my family are typically here 2-3 evenings a week.  Plus we know the family of the owner.  My sisters have artwork here, and I have donated some of the books.  It has pleasant associations.

(But I like the Bee Hive, too.  Maybe I'll blog about that another time.)