365 Project Day 285: Coffee and Conversation

Canon 5D Mark ll, 24-70 2.8L, 27 mm focal length, 3.2 aperture, 1/60 shutter, 200 ISO

If you spend any time with me at all, you will soon learn I adore coffee. Good coffee, that is. I thought I was a bit of a coffee snob, actually, until I met Jon French. No, he is the real coffee snob, and he will readily admit it. I am so glad he is, because he understands me. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Katie came home one night and told me I needed to go to Boulder Creek Coffee, a new coffee place in Buford that is connected to Books for Less. “That place is legit,” she insisted. I was skeptical. I have been on the search for a really good coffee shop for some time, and had been buying my snobby beans online. But still I hoped she was right. So, I went by one day after a photo shoot. I was exhausted and needed a good cup of coffee to help me make the drive home. Jon, who is managing Boulder Creek, was working the counter that night and listened to me babble on about my love for coffee and my quest for the perfect cup. He did not disappoint. Not only did he immediately brew me an amazing cup, but he went on to ask me questions about what I wanted and sought to help me find what I was looking for. I have been buying my beans from him ever since.

I asked Jon if I could stop by and spend some time with he and his wife Erica to get to know them and share their story a bit. They are very busy with the shop but we set a date, and today we made it happen. I loved hearing about their passion for coffee, and how they desire to create a unique space for people to connect and converse. I think it is fair to say that in the short five months they have been there, they have done just that.  Almost every time I stop by there now, I see someone I know that I probably would not have seen otherwise. And I often meet a new friend as well. Yes, the world seems a little smaller every time I step through their door. I think that is what they were seeking to create.

I also loved hearing about how they met through YWAM, and how she became interested in him when she saw what a great swing dancer he was. They are ridiculously cute. And, they are amazing swing dancers. Stop by the shop any Saturday night, and you may catch a glimpse of them shredding the dance floor. They offer swing dance lessons there every Saturday night, and the place is always brimming with people laughing and dancing, and yes, drinking coffee as well.

My favorite part of today, however,  was taking Jon and Erica away from their work to get some photos of just them. Running the shop takes a lot of energy, and I wanted to photograph them in a relaxed environment. We chose downtown Buford. It was raining, which was perfect for Jon who was raised in Seattle. It think it made him feel more at home. I very much enjoyed my time with them and  I love the images we captured. Beautiful and sweet.

Go by and see them soon at Boulder Creek!

 

Proverbs 22:29 ~ “Observe people who are good at their work— skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don’t take a backseat to anyone.” (the Message version)