Writing, reviews, interviews, photography.

Posts tagged “field trip”

Field Trip: Berkeley Supply Co. in Denver, CO.

Posted on January 13, 2014

berkeley_supply_masthead

Every December for the past 7 years, I’ve made the pilgrimage to Steamboat Springs, CO. for some winter sports action. I like Steamboat a lot; it’s casual all of the time (read: don’t have to wear a fur coat to fit in), the mountain isn’t as miserably crowded as others, and the town has a great homey feel that some of the other ski towns lack. Every year we fly into Denver and make the 3-4 hour drive into the mountains. Every year we make the 3-4 hour drive back to Denver and fly out. I have distant family that lives in Denver and I never visit them because I’m an asshole and I really should make more time for them. This trip I did just that and had a few extra hours to kill so I swung by Berkeley Supply Co. who, like my family, I’ve been meaning to visit for a while. It was now or never so my girlfriend and I trekked over to the Tennyson district to check out the shop.

berkeley_supply_15

berkeley_supply_12

Categories: field trip, Photos, Travels, Writeups

Field Trip: Blueprint Coffee

Posted on December 9, 2013
Web

I worked in the specialty coffee industry for quite a long time and to finally have an article about a shop, especially one to which I have several connections, is pretty cool for me. I was visiting family in St. Louis over the Thanksgiving holiday and got the chance to visit Blueprint Coffee which was started by my friend and former bandmate Mike Marquard along with several other folks we knew from Kaldi’s Coffee and elsewhere. There’s been an influx of new coffee companies in St. Louis over the past few years; when I was getting my start, I worked for Kaldi’s and at the time they were the only show in town. Most of the new shops are fantastic and do a great job of curating a diverse coffee offering along with creating a pleasing atmosphere in which to enjoy said coffee. Blueprint, in my opinion, does this the best of all of the new shops and they roast their own coffee which gives them a massive leg up in the branding department. Some of the best coffee shops in the world sell other roasters beans but there’s something special about the shop/roaster combo that buries its way into people’s hearts. Blueprint’s clean aesthetic reminds me of some of the great shops around the country (Four Barrel, Stumptown, Intelligentsia, etc.) while pulling a color palette and geometric accents that are uniquely their own. Click here to view all images and read the interview.

blueprint_coffee_14_watermarked
Categories: field trip, Inquiries & Responses, Photos, Travels

Field Trip: Trove General Store in Paoli, PA.

Posted on July 31, 2012

Ever heard of Paoli, PA? It’s a little town on the main line heading out from Philadelphia wedged into a block of towns that overlap into each other, each one somewhat indistinguishable from the last. At least that was my impression before we spent some time chatting with Foster & Charlotte, owners of the fine Trove General Store situated right in the middle of town. Let me clarify that “town” refers to a series of shopping centers and subdivisions situated off of the main drag, Lancaster Ave. The place isn’t rural; it certainly has a suburban feel to it. But stepping inside the shop immediately lets you know that these guys mean business in selling their extremely high quality goods and you shouldn’t be alarmed by their exterior appearance.

Make no mistake, we love this shop. I’d visited before but this trip was Steve’s first time and I think he thoroughly enjoyed the space. But these goods can be purchased at a number of places (with the exception of their jeans collaboration with Tellason and iPhone case collaboration with Truman/Teranishi Handcrafted), some of which can be found within the city limits of Philadelphia. So why are these guys out here, roughly 30 minutes outside of the city? Because the people here still use the stuff the way it was meant to be used. Foster & Charlotte had a great point, and we completely agree, that most folks sporting heritage American wear don’t actually use it the way it was intended to be used. Much of their clientele uses the Pendleton blankets, the Filson coats and bags, and Red Wing Boots for work and/or manual labor, not a costumed masquerade down Walnut St. with camo-printed pink-selvedged duck cloth pants. There’s something to be said for that.

Their brand list is astounding and the product range is incredible as well. They carry everything from gardening products, home goods, and bath products to clothing, flasks, and footwear. If you want a real-deal look at some of these amazing products, hear an informed opinion, gain some perspective on using heritage products, and meet some folks who are genuinely glad to see you, take a trip out to Trove. We highly recommend it. Click below to see the entire photo set.

Categories: Photos, Travels, Writeups