“The Cup” delivers delicious coffee and an important message
Throughout the tumultuous years of late nights and studying that come with college life, nothing can aid a student more than a great cup of coffee and a café that can feel like a second home. CU students are lucky to have a multitude of choices of cafes that go beyond the corporate mold of “the coffee shop.”
Local business “The Cup Espresso Cafe,” located on 15th and Pearl St., fits the bill for an interesting and enjoyable coffee experience.
“One of the things that make The Cup unique is that the coffee is fair trade from all over the world and is roasted locally,” said barista Hadley Brown, 23, and CU alum.
Upon entering, the cafe’s message of social justice is apparent in the sign above the coffee that reads “Fair Trade” and also in the decor. The rotated art on the walls shows real workers from all around the world.
“These are real photographs of people harvesting and sorting the coffee,” Brown said. “And it’s this coffee.”
The Cup’s support of social and environmental awareness is helping spread the word of important world issues around Boulder with every cup they sell. While sitting in the cafe’s cozy atmosphere, there are small papers that inform customers about fair trade vs. free trade and the environmental benefits of their unique cork cup covers as opposed to the generally-used cardboard ones.
Their support of fair trade coffee goes beyond social responsibility; the coffee is also well received. Their organic coffee is roasted locally by Conscious Coffees.
The Cup also offers a relaxed environment where students can not only study but also socialize with other locals.
“It has a lot more of a social feeling. People end up sitting with people they don’t know and they end up talking,” said Jessica Brick, 22, a senior architecture major at CU.
Students can also find more than coffee at The Cup. This cafe; also offers a delicious assortment of beverages such as lattes and chai teas, as well as sandwiches, bagels and homemade pastries.
For more information on The Cup and Fair Trade, go to their Web site: thecupboulder.com.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Jenny Gumbert at jenny.gumbert@colorado.edu.
