Fresno Famous

It's easy to want the fastest or the best. Sometimes the fastest and the best are the same thing, often times they are not.

This city we live in is in a bit of a moving stagnancy. It has this unwillingness to move forward, and when it does it likes to have it fast and convenient. Redoing what has been done in other places with big names and flashy presentations. After all, marketing has it's place and does it's job. Catch your eye and reel you in. It works, it's proven. In fact, our own city has proven it time and again as box after box opens and and people line up to enter the machine, leave their money and get spit back out as if they were never there. That's Awesome, Fantastic, Excellent Choice, Have a Great Day!

Where did your money go at that big store? It went to any number of corporate locations far away in tall buildings with mirror finishes and fountains and names on placards on doors with the full gambit of acronyms, Assistant Vice CEO of Regional Distribution and Logistics, Western Division. As much as 70%, and more often times, go to out of state locations with your corporate purchase. There is no knocking these people, they studied hard in school, scratched and clawed and made the right moves. They make the right decisions and spend the money in the right places to make themselves back that money and then some. Kudos to them, they set examples and standards, a small business uses them as reference time and again for how to go about doing business. Can't recall the last time I met a CEO or Vice President, though. Can't say I know where their products are made or manufactured or how the people who work for them are treated. I appreciate their consistency, thoroughness and efficiency. Examples of the human machine that knows no bounds, the mind.

A school less attended, a curriculum less taught and a life less ordinary. Do the things no one does, reach for unreachable goals. Go to places for the sake of a different experience and breaking out of the mold. Trying sushi cause you never tried it before, countries of millions live on it so it probably won't kill you. Trying the sea cucumber or jellyfish at Hunan cause,,,,,what the heck does that taste like? Trying to eat the Megazone at Milano cause they make it with love and are trying to give you more than you could ever ask for. Trying the Lamb Shank at Diana's cause you never tried Lamb Shank before. A world of flavor is out there to try, and many times it cannot be found anywhere else but in this city you live in, it's as unique as you are and it's here waiting for you to try.

Yep, another coffee house, that's what Café Corazón is.....not. Like no other, well, perhaps a few like us, but no where in this valley and you're hard pressed to find an equal even where there are supposed to be great coffee houses. This isn't a business run by non existent corporate owners or people with no passion for what they are doing. No chasing the dollar or cold hearted hard sells. The business exists to provide the highest degree/quality coffee experience we are capable of, to give this city pride, to give the coffee plantations and harvesters pride and for us to be able to provide a service we can be proud of. To provide and environment of learning, comfort and appreciation.

When I roast the coffee I know where it comes from, what plantation and what part of the world. I know what to expect for flavor and what degree of roast best brings out the flavor in espresso or as a brewed cup. As the coffee roaster, I control the flavor of the bean. At the espresso machine, we control the flavor of the espresso. We also know you can make an espresso out of any coffee and offer you the choice. When I see a quirky bean come out of the roaster my minds eye begins a journey. Where did this bean come from? At some point it was on a ship, on a truck before that, at a plantation before that and before that it was being harvested, by hands of hard working people. Much like grape tray rolling here in the valley, there is no machine that does the work for humans, it must be done by hand. I appreciate that hand and the hard work, I want to do them proud, make sure they are paid well with fair trade prices on their beans and I want to know that when we serve an espresso, it's the very best that is being served. No, we are like no other Espresso Bar in town. This is why I roast the coffee, this is why I set standards, this is why every cup is served with passion, appreciation and pride.

A greater percentage of money spent at a locally owned business stays local, as much as 70% of what is spent at a locally owned business stays in the local economy. Many times a local business has to do more in order to get regular patronage, pay more because premiums are higher, and expect more from their employees because a small business cannot offer benefits and retirement plans. So small businesses have to raise the bar and offer what no other place can, the very best and hope that the city they serve loves it. We are not fast fast fast, get you in and get you out right now. Pulling espresso shots of love cannot be rushed. You can meet the owner when I'm around or talk to Liz who runs it with me. We care about our city and want to help bring it positive change by participating in it's growth. I do not take shortcuts on any aspect because I feel that hard work should always pay off and people will always notice hard work. This is a business of pride, joy and love. We hope that the money we spend on fair trade coffee helps those in other countries with their daily struggles in life, even if it means a new pair of shoes. We open our doors to the local music scene to give them a place to express themselves, same with artists for Arthop. We love this city, our hard work shows it.

Eat and shop locally, think globally

Who does your money go