Comments on: new coffee chain starts life in downtown, hours up for discussion

By: Travis

Travis — Fri, 02 May 2008 06:59:43 +0000

I am so excited to be a part of the Lot 44 business. I hope to see you all coming to the store and I will tell you this now, you will have the best customer service in a coffee shop at our store.

I am confident that the public will enjoy this new way of coffee by the cup…hope to see you all at our opening on May 5th!!!

By: JimAtLaw

JimAtLaw — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 02:13:10 +0000

I’ll absolutely come by, and am glad for both our sakes to hear that your prices are not generally as high as listed above. (I was basing my comment on “$4.50 for 12 ozs. or $5.50 for 16 ozs”, which might work for a few cups of an expensive CoE auction lot, but not for the average consumer even in a 3rd wave joint, IMHO…)

By: AG

AG — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 01:11:23 +0000

As the Owner of Lot 44 Coffee I wanted to provide some clarification. Pricing for any product in business is always a calculation of COGS, contollable costs, uncontrollable costs, to produce your flow through to your bottom line. Coffee is a traded commidity ( which like oil, wheat and everything else has recently gone up in price considerably). At Lot 44 our coffee is ethically sourced (organic and fair trade) from small farms, not huge conglomerates. All coffees are individually brewed by the cup, there are only a handful of coffee bars that offer this elevated level of service and freshness. In coffee circles, it is referred to as the third wave. Our pricing is competitive for the quality of our product(and our lease terms quite reasonable). Although several of our Cru and estate coffees are over $4.00; the average 12oz is $3.25 and average 16oz is $4.00. The organic house blend is cheaper and all coffee comes with steamed milk of choice. I certainly hope you give us a try but if not sincerely hope you support a neighborhood java joint as opposed to a national chain that can afford to sell their product for pennies on the dollar.

By: JimAtLaw

JimAtLaw — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:57:26 +0000

I fear that over $4 or even over $5 for a cup of coffee will strain the credulity and wallets of many potential patrons to the breaking point. And I’m a total coffee snob.

Yes, there is a market of people who make $400,000 a year or more for whom it is really immaterial if their daily joe costs $2 or $10, but how many of them are there? For mere mortals making say, only $200,000, a five plus dollar cup of coffee is going too far.

I also have serious doubts that this will really be worth double the price of other high end cafes (though see above re: income), and while I spend a LOT of money on coffee beans and equipment, and go out of my way for artisan coffee, a $5 cup is over the line.

I’ve noticed similar trends at other recent downtown eateries that signed leases during the peak of the real estate boom, and if downtown RE is so expensive that you can’t make it without charging double what it costs in other places, I have a hard time imagining long term success. Real estate prices are falling like a rock, and restaurants that signed leases at the peak will suffer for it - timing, as they say, is everything.

By: Anita

Anita — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:33:54 +0000

RC, have you tried Francis in Little Tokyo? 2nd. & Central, inside the Honda Plaza. Not your typical all-American bakery, lighter touch with Japanese twist. For example: Green tea chocolate mouse cake, Maron cake (which is Chestnut cake), and passion fruit mouse cake. They also have home-made chocolate truffles, croissants and other pastries. From what I have read, Francis probably won’t be “cool” enough for a lot of people to hang out there, but may be you can just do take-out, which I often do. They close on Sunday and at 7pm during the week. They serve coffee also, but I am no connoisseur, may be you can let me know.

By: RC

RC — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:28:01 +0000

Thanks Celia. I never went back to Banquette after that one croissant so I will give them another try. It is funny how one bad experience can affect you. Croissants need to be crisp and flakey on the outside. Baked goods are coming to Downtown however…B&G Cookie Company, Ma Petit and Urth Cafe will open soon. Competition is good for quality improvements.

By: celia

celia — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:09:24 +0000

rc - i agree that pastries make a huge difference. however, i think the croissants are the only bakery items that banquette doesn’t make, therefore the only thing to avoid. their sour cream cake and their blueberry mini-loaves are really good, but their donuts (i think they’re baked) are wonderful. and addictive.

By: SD

SD — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:20:51 +0000

I am not a downtown resident but get over to downtown fairly often. It would be great if they stayed open at least until 9:00 PM and opened on Sundays. I’d prefer not to have to drive over to Starbucks in Little Tokyo for a cup of coffee at 8:00 PM.

By: JC

JC — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:42:41 +0000

Lost Souls Cafe is a block away with extended hours and the true feeling of being in the inner sanctum.
They just need to clean up the alley and the stink you have to walk through to get in.

By: RC

RC — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:13:24 +0000

If I might also suggest that you really have excellent pastries..I had a croissant at Banquette once and it was awful. The pastries at Bishop Coffee (which closed) were marginal. Currently there is not a bakery or patisserie Downtown that I am aware of that was worth going to. Good luck and I look forward to giving your business a try.