By: Emie Newton
Posted In: News
Photo credit: tablehound.com
Spring Street Espresso
Nestled among the historic winding cobblestone streets of Newport, R.I., is the quaint European- inspired coffee shop, Spring Street Espresso. Noted by the clientele as home to the best quality cup of coffee in town, owner Jack MacDonald has raised the standards for everything from espresso to lattés. At the moment Spring Street Espresso may be regarded as one of town’s best kept secrets, but it is no mystery that after customers first visit, they will return for more.
When one walks into the shop, which resembles a cozy sitting room, the customer is greeted by friendly conversation with MacDonald and the other locals. The distinctly smooth aroma of coffee along with the scent of freshly baked goods fills the air. A classic espresso machine and several containers of beans are noticeable behind the counter, and literature available to the public decorates the shelves. Twinkle lights lining the inner windowpanes, deep red rustic carved beams, low ceilings, dark wooden chairs and marble tables all contribute to the shop’s unique character. From early morning to late evening, customers come to Spring Street Espresso for the delicious coffee, calming environment, and good conversation. The shop also has WI-FI and is laptop friendly for those who wish to surf online with their cup of coffee in hand. It is also not unusual to hear the soft speaking of foreign languages in a corner of the shop, for its high quality coffee draws in people from all over the world. From his devoted and widespread customer base as well as his knowledge of the coffee business, MacDonald is clearly doing something very right. Q: Have you always strived to open a coffee shop in Newport? A: Ironically no, I was a bartender in town for a quite a few years. Originally I was thinking of opening a bar, then possibly deli. I nixed those ideas though because I realized they were way more work then I was willing to take on. A few years ago I found myself looking for a good cup of coffee and the idea took off from there. I began researching the thought, searching for a visible location with easy access. I found this spot, where there was a bakery before. It was helpful because the concept of serving coffee here was somewhat implemented by the previous business. Some people that didn’t realize the bakery closed would show up for a cup of coffee and find me. I still offer baked croissants so I can appeal to those people. I had a basis set for me, I just needed to revamp and reinvent the shop a little to start my business Q: You said you offer a variety of food as well as coffee? A: Yes, I make the food here myself. I’m not about to make twenty kinds of bagels because I’ll have to wake up that much earlier to cook it. But we have quite a few choices of coffee cake, croissants and cookies. It’s what I put into it, so I keep it short and sweet. Q: Who make up the majority of your clientele? A: This place has a pretty good following. I’m not really in the path of the tourists, but I can usually tell real quickly that they are when they come in. I actually have a big Italian following. [Looks at his watch.] There is one due in about 20 minutes. They always come in for an afternoon espresso. The Europeans know that I take coffee to the next level. It’s not that espresso is hard to make, but there is definitely a method and they know what it supposed to be like. Q: Where does your coffee come from? A: My coffee provider has been in the business since 1969. I came across him when I was researching for my shop. He began a program called the “Cup of Excellence” where he sets up a broad- based judging panel to rate the coffee from all over South America to Africa. This has created an incentive for the farmers to keep their qualities high. He knows every aspect from how coffee is sold to the way it is packaged and has definitely brought the industry to a new level. He spares no time or resources. After learning about him I said ‘this is the guy I want to work with.’ Q: Your coffee is delicious; what is your secret? A: Many places that serve coffee usually receive it after it has been sitting in a warehouse for about six months. My provider sends vacuum-sealed bags to the farms and then when he receives them, he puts them in the freezer until its time to take them out to roast. When I put in an order with my provider, I get it the next day. The freshness is incomparable to anything else. Most people don’t think much about the whole process, but it really makes a difference in the taste. As they say “there’s a lot involved from bean to cup.” Q: What’s unique about your business? A: There are a lot of little things I do to preserve the quality that people tend to overlook. I have a precise technique and put in a full effort when producing a cup of coffee. For instance, I heat all of my cups because if not then the coffee automatically drops about 30 degrees. People are always saying that after drinking the coffee here, they have set a certain standard for a good cup and it becomes hard to find anywhere else. When I hear that over and over, I know I’m doing something right. Q: Do you have any plans to develop your business in the future? A: I’d like to at some point, but I’d first like to get this shop developed into a viable, strong coffee business. I want to keep this place going and build up my customer base. I’ve been approached to take over other coffee shops. Realistically it sounds nice, but I don’t know if right now I could physically do it. As far as another business, this place keeps me pretty busy enough. But who knows because if someone asked me five years ago about running my own coffee shop, I probably would have laughed. So you know, if the right circumstances came around, I probably would. I know there’s always something else out there. Q: Do you find there are any misconceptions of coffee? A: I’ve heard people say before that “coffee is coffee,” but I don’t believe that. I can smell the coffee when I walk in somewhere and already know if it’s good. I can tell if it sat in a warehouse for a long time. There is a difference. It’s like a bad bottle of wine.
