A stand-out occurrence of 2009 was discovering Local Coffee, a terrific coffee shop in the Stone Oak area of San Antonio. It is a simply-designed, quiet space that, in the first 6 weeks of its opening, became THE go-to spot for writing, conducting business and just relaxing. 

The secret is unrivaled coffee. The quality of the beans and the impeccable knowledge and care with which they are prepared results in a cup of coffee like none I've tasted before. I've spoken to the owner, Robbie Grubbs, on a number of occasions about various aspects of the coffee's preparation and there seems to be no end to the amount of small details that go into the path from plantation to enjoyment.

To illustrate, a number of employees did not make the cut the first couple weeks. I asked Robbie how this was possible: it's just coffee, right? The ones who did not make it did not understand Robbie's vision and standard of excellence. Eventually, he brought in a couple of folks with a huge amount of experience in one of the few coffee houses that share Robbie's high standards. One of the baristas was basically imported from Washington, DC. Unreasonable? Before you taste the coffee, you may think so. Afterwards, there is no question his close attention to detail is what is behind Local Coffee's quick success.

Local Coffee, as the name might suggest, is dedicated to "local made/local paid," healthy and eco-responsible. Nearly all of the interior build-out was done with reclaimed materials. All the lighting is environmentally friendly. The travelers -- the to-go coffee pitchers for businesses, etc. -- are made from recycled cardboard.  All their baked goods are from local businesses

They display art from local artists on an approximately one-month turnover. They also hosts quiet, tasteful acoustic sets from local musicians on Saturdays (as of this blogging, of course). 

So if you haven't tried Local Coffee, stop in. It's located at the southwest corner of Sonterra and Sigma. Look for the orange and black sign (also shown here).