Coffee Shops 4

Our coffee shops fulfill many of the same purposes as the public houses serve. Caffeine establishments offer friends a stress-free place to convene, groups a convivial location for conversation, and individuals a quiet space to connect via their favorite media. The Depot Coffee House in Urbana, Ohio, achieves all goals.

All Aboard! for Lattes to Go

At the Depot Coffee House

Urbana, Ohio

Low-fat lattes as delicious as any we have found anywhere were served to my dear friend Eleanor Y. Stewart and me on one of our excursions that we like to call an “Authors’ Day Out.” The Depot Coffee House is, in fact, a coffee house within a former depot of the Pennsylvania Railroad. As an Ohio historical marker highlights, architects Packard and Yost in Columbus, Ohio, created the building in 1894. The Pennsylvania, the Big Four, and the Erie passed through Urbana, making distant cities accessible to Urbana and Urbana accessible to the nation.

What Better Location

For the Depot Coffee House

Than a Depot?

Details within the renovated depot honor Packard and Yost; for example, the honey-colored woodwork adorning the walls, encircling the doorways, and surrounding the panes of glass in each arched window lends a pleasant tone to the rooms. While Eleanor and I enjoyed our lattes and laughter, a group gathered at a long table in the neighboring room, pairs of friends nestled in comfortable chairs here and there, and individuals consulted smartphones over breakfast. Sunlight streamed across the baristas’ station and brightened the corners of the porch where passengers once stood awaiting their trains.

Honey-Colored Woodwork

Adorning the Depot Coffee House

If I sound a tad surprised that a coffee shop in Urbana serves outstanding lattes, I don’t mean to. Before our first outing to the Depot Coffee House, Eleanor and I had read the online reviews and felt assured that we would not be disappointed; but, in a way, we were surprised because the coffee and the depot reached similar high standards of excellence with one complementing the other. Even though we were in good moods when we stepped inside the station, our spirits were lifted to exuberance when we sat having our lattes within such a unique structure. Now we wish more cities and towns near our homes would resurrect depots as coffee shops. For that matter, we know of at least two Victorian firehouses that would make splendid destinations for coffee lovers!

Mixtures of Masonry

Characterizing the Architecture

Of the Depot Coffee House

   

Urbana, Ohio:

Your Destination for Lattes and More!

 

Coffee Shops 3

A coffee shop can be called “beloved” when it has existed for over twenty years—and when its opening and closing hours are literally followed by “ish,” as in “eight-ish.” Central Perk European Cafe in Oakwood, Ohio, is beloved.

Lattes at Central Perk European Cafe in Oakwood, Ohio

The community comes together morning after morning at Central Perk, which has served Eleanor Y. Stewart and me some of the best lattes we have had. On a recent visit, we noted that friends had taken two of the larger tables and were conversing happily. So as to be heard by the second table, a woman at the first table raised her voice and joked about surviving her daughter’s college tuition, an amusing comment appreciated by all customers. The feeling is tribal, amicable neighbors regularly gathering here for coffee camaraderie and latte laughter verging upon the sacred.

Scone (Always Fresh!) at Central Perk European Cafe

In Oakwood, Ohio

The scones are heavenly! Hands dusted with flour work their wonders each day, and, soon, the scones come from the oven hot and delectable, surrounded by such temptations as diaphanous jelly and ambrosial butter.

Hailing from Liverpool, the owner prepares the coffees in the same way that artists compose their canvases, and he serves his masterpieces in various mugs with designs nodding toward merry old England. Art for sale adorns the walls. During our latest meeting, Eleanor and I appreciated a series of clever illustrations championing dog ownership. As Eleanor has worked for animal rescue organizations, the framed sketches struck a chord.

Sunlight streams through the east-facing windows, creating one of the most joyful shops in our experience. Patrons take the measure of the morning cup by cup and scone by scone. Warmed by aromatic latte and cheerful sunbeams, Eleanor and I find our conversations drifting into hope and contentment.

In Sketches by Boz (1833–1836), Charles Dickens described a Christmas dinner: “Who can be insensible to the outpourings of good feeling, and the honest interchange of affectionate attachment, which abound at this season of the year?” The same good feeling and affectionate attachment abound at Central Perk in all seasons!

Coffee Shops 2

Tipp City, Ohio, was founded as Tippecanoe in 1840. The name “Tippecanoe” was a nickname for General William Henry Harrison, who claimed to have handed a confederation of Native Americans a defeat on November 7th in 1811. The name is derived from a Native American term, Kithtipecanunk (Kitapkwanunk in the language of the Miami people) meaning “buffalo-fish place,” which may refer to a location with plentiful fish and game. In 1841, Harrison became the ninth President of the United States but served only a month, dying from pneumonia. William Henry was the grandfather of Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd President. Tippecanoe was located beside the Miami & Erie Canal. In 1938, the name was changed to Tipp City, to distinguish the town from a hamlet by the same name in eastern Ohio. When I visit Tipp City (which is often), I get my low-fat latte at Old Tippecanoe Coffee Company, which is on North Second Street.

Latte at Old Tippecanoe Coffee Company

In Tipp City, Ohio

(Another customer turned to me and said,

“That looks yummy!” I verify that, yes, the latte was!)

The coffee shop is one of many destinations for me. Tipp City is blessed with lovely homes and lively shopping. The Hotel Gallery on Main Street offers a wide range of artistic items from ceramics, through accessories, to jewelry. I have bought more items than I can name here, but I will mention that I purchased a vase from the potter who made it; its grace and beauty greet me every morning. In my view, Crossroads Consignments has no competitor; it is the finest consignment store in my experience. Treasures have made their way to my home after nearly all my visits! Readers familiar with Tipp City can recommend many more businesses, including boutiques and antique shops.

Old Tippecanoe Coffee Company gives me reliably excellent lattes, carefully prepared. The baristas are personable experts. From the tables and chairs in the front of the shop or the outdoor seating area, views of a street as American as the proverbial apple pie please the eye. Relaxation typifies my experience at Old Tippecanoe. With the aroma of the latte rising up around me, I glimpse families strolling along flower-bordered sidewalks. Life hardly gets better!

Tipp City affords several places to buy good coffee, but Old Tippecanoe holds a special place in my estimation. I once spoke with the owner, who shared valuable information about why it makes good sense to order a latte. She was as friendly as she was knowledgeable, and I came away with the conviction that she appreciated my business.