Quaint. Quiet. Quixotic.

Located around the corner from the Barnes Foundation, I found a corner store in the midst of a series of high-end row homes. I got off the bus at 21st and Market Street before skating a couple minutes north. A couple of charming row-houses lined the hill up to Spring Street. I wouldn’t be surprised if the same architectural firm designed the houses next to Rittenhouse Square, or any other part of Philadelphia built for the people who work next door in the skyscrapers of large corporations and banks.

The interior was small. The tables were clean. The customers were wearing suits.

I ordered a dark roast, but there didn’t exist a dark roast. All of their drinks were either espresso-based or pour-overs. I took the Brazilian blend because it was the cheapest option on the menu at the price of $3. It had a more of an earthy tone than the coffee I usually drink on a regular basis (mostly from Wawa), but it was also the feeling that I needed at the moment. A sense of stability in a tumultuous world filled with uncertainty. It also felt wrong paying $3 for coffee that did not end in -ino.

Next to the counter rested a flavor chart.