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DEL.ICIO.US“Don’t confuse Red Sky with a coffeehouse”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When it comes to chain stores, Gwinnett seems to possess at least one or two of everything imaginable.
It’s nice to find an independent business among the sameness, and on Wednesday the Badie Tour stopped by a popular Buford establishment to see what was brewing, who might drop in.
The Red Sky Cafe & Coffeehouse sits off Buford Highway, across from the post office. The aroma of coffee greets you as soon as you step inside. While that’s warm and welcoming, don’t be fooled. The Red Sky is more restaurant than coffeehouse, and its owners are revving up to focus on catering, too.
Hot drinks may be a perfect warm-me-up, but declaring them your primary menu attraction can prove to be a tough way to make a living. You have to sell a heap of them to turn a profit. In Gwinnett, we’ve seen several coffeehouses come and go, regardless of popularity or java quality.
Just this month, Main Street Coffee Shop on the Duluth town square shuttered its doors, shy of a one-year anniversary. And Bill Luebben, the original owner of the Northern Star Coffee House, located at 45 S. Peachtree St. in downtown Norcross, has had to bring in a part-owner, Keith Shewbert, a Norcross councilman.
This new team may want to consider practicing what Red Sky owners Pam and Buddy Chandler do - be more than a barista, branch out, offer an intriguing menu with staples and occasional new items. Constantly tweak the menu, serve what sells, discontinue what doesn’t.
The eatery’s specials, be they daily or seasonal offerings, are test entrees that might one day get a permanent spot on the menu.
“I don’t tell people I own a coffeehouse, said Pam Chandler, a Buford native who prefers Coke over coffee. “I tell them I own a restaurant that serves coffee. I couldn’t survive just being a coffeehouse. That was obvious.”
So the Red Sky draws more than caffeine connoisseurs and aroma addicts. It’s the gathering spot for all - north Gwinnett educators, church groups, businessmen, construction workers, hipsters and journalists.
AJC Gwinnett News reporter Rebecca McCarthy, who writes about Buford, logs on to her laptop there at least once a week. The Badie Tour pulled up for a few hours Wednesday to see who might pull up a seat.
Earlier this week, I wrote a column saying that the tour would return to its original purpose - a vehicle to meet people who call Gwinnett home. Readers were invited to drop by the Red Sky to say hello.
A few took me up on it. People talked about the usual issues - traffic, sprawl and the housing slump.
Stephanie Kratofil, a married mom of two school-age girls, talked about education. She’s a substitute teacher at Lanier Middle School who had this to say about the majority of county educators she’s come across:
“They are really dedicated,” she told me, “and really underappreciated.”
So how about showing teachers some gratitude?
Buy them a cup of coffee.
Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail rbadie@ajc.com.
Permalink | Comments (11) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
Comments
By Mark
November 29, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this
WOW! Another piece of awesome “journalism”!! LOL
By Bruce Wilcox
November 29, 2007 9:37 PM | Link to this
Mark, please enlighten us all of what is your meaning of journalism?
Please no cartoons.
By T
November 30, 2007 6:33 AM | Link to this
Rick, I enjoyed the article. I have eaten at Red Sky a few times and really enjoyed the food. The people there are very friendly.
The first time I went there I stood there like a kid in a candy store and couldn’t make up my mind. The young lady that waited on me offered a couple of suggestions and I took her up on one of those. The food was excellent.
I know this kind of writting doesn’t push buttons like other topics. I really enjoy it because controversial writting is the norm in jounalism and I can read hundreds of articles everyday that get my blood boiling.
I enjoyed this because, it’s where we live …
By Mark
November 30, 2007 12:17 PM | Link to this
Bruce Wilcox
Writing a blog in a fishwrapper such as the AJC about things or places that will never change doesn’t require a journalism degree in my opinion. It’s simply chatter to cover up the real issues in this county. It keeps the ignorant ignorant. You are proof of that.
By Sandy_G
November 30, 2007 12:33 PM | Link to this
Mark, Expecting world class, world-changing, investigative reporting in a “fish-wrapper” like the AJC is kind of like buying a Snicker’s bar and getting PO’d because it doesn’t taste like a Godiva chocolate.
I will say something for Rick, he provides a service to the people of our area by giving them a forum to speak and by giving a little advertising boost to to locally-owned businesses that are NOT franchises for huge chains. Our Mom-and-Pop retail and restaurant establishments are becoming fewer and fewer and the good ones deserve our recognition and business.
Oh, and Mark, at least Rick publishes his writings using his real name, photograph, email, etc. I sincerely doubt that you would be so willing to post your diatribes and infantile outbursts if you couldn’t do so anonymously.
By Mark
November 30, 2007 12:53 PM | Link to this
Sandy_G
I happen to use my real name, and my email address is on file since you need one to start an account. I have the right to an opinion just as you. Just as I mentioned to Bruce, you are simply another.
By Sandy_G
November 30, 2007 1:29 PM | Link to this
Mark, Your email address IS on file with the AJC, but I don’t see you posting your full name, email address and photo on the blog for the whole world to see. When you have the “huevos” to do that, then I’d say you have leveled the playing field with regard to being a journalism critic on the AJC.
By Sandy_G
November 30, 2007 1:38 PM | Link to this
Upon further reflection Mark, why not post a better article than Rick’s? Go out and find a good store, research it, interview people, write it up and post it right here on Rick’s blog? That would really show him how much more you know about journalism than he does! Can’t wait to read your first article. Sandy_G
By Bruce Wilcox
November 30, 2007 2:31 PM | Link to this
Mark please enlighten us all where we can find these great tomes of journalism that you read?
By Southern Born
November 30, 2007 4:28 PM | Link to this
Please don’t feed the trolls.
By Airborne
December 5, 2007 1:08 PM | Link to this
Well mark i see you still have no idea of what you’re talking about.It’s a shame that you had no friends to play with or a mentor to help you grow up.Did somebody take your lunch all the time when you were in school?Maybe that’s why you never have anything good or positive to say about anything but yourself and that’s not saying much.Grow up man i told you before to stop being a whinner,get your head out of your butt and see the light.Things have change whether you know it or not.I don’t see you in the streets try to help your community.You said you do,then why is’nt it mentioned?Are you afraid to unveil yourself to your community,since you claim to have done so much.You know what,i think your life is just miserable.Go buy a newspaper and read Rick Badies column,maybe it’ll inform you as to what’s going on in your community.I’m sure you tried to feed me a line in one of your negative comments about Ric.As Sandy G requested im saying the same thing,be a man,go write an article about your community,and if you’re not afraid to bring your head out of your “butt” contact Ric and inform him of your info.Whoops,my bag that would take a man to do that.Sorry.