Biggby Coffee: I Have a Dreadful Secret

I am just going to come right out and say it. Unless I move and it is my only option, no Biggby Coffee, will ever be the spot where I choose to go hang out and write.

Not only are the hours less than significant, the reason is simple: the ambiance wigs me out. I just don't feel it. Taking the color orange, mixing it with the seventies and creepy frogs that look high, then openly advertising that you are an evil corporate franchise that furnishes it's place with uncomfortable hard wooden chairs because they are cheap is just not my thing, but really who am I to judge? After all, I do like Starbucks and I love their Mermaid. Some people might think that's creepy.



I have heard people describe Biggby lattes as "sweeter" than Starbucks' which people may prefer. I have heard other people who are Biggby fans describe Starbucks' coffee as "burnt" and it's true they do have a darker blend. It seems that these two places are just meant to be polar opposites and those who prefer one place may not prefer the other.

However, I have a dreadful secret. I used to work at Biggby. I won't say which one, but I think it was the worst job I ever had. The owner was a frickin' dragon lady, who I bet did not have higher than a high school education considering how she trashed her employees like she was in the movie "Mean Girls."

Not to mention "corporate" used to come in once a month and quiz like drill sergeants us on policies, dress code and drinks. Seriously, once I was reciting Biggby's motto to them and I accidentally said the word "beverage" instead of "drink" and they circled it in red pen.

Some people may think that my dislike for writing there may only come from the horrible time I spent working there, but let me tell you that I have worked at other coffee shops that I did not always enjoy (it was my go-to after college job before I became a librarian, hence the barista characters) and I would not rule them out as a writing spot like I am ruling out Biggby Coffee. 

Nevertheless, I do enjoy their smoothies. I do not think any other coffee shop has mastered smoothies such as the banana cream freeze or the strawberry shortcake quite like Biggby Coffee. So, I am admitting that I will go there on occasion. It's just not somewhere I will be hanging around. I will just be running in when I crave a delicious smoothie and then running out. More like a fast food place than a coffee shop.

The Hunt Begins

That's right it's a hunt for my perfect place...and we're off! I accumulated a list of coffee houses that I plan to test as a writing spot. In making this list I made a few rules, which are listed at the bottom if you are interested, but for now I plan to visit each of these shops to see if any will help me become the writer I dream of becoming:

1. Primo Coffee House Does this place still exist?
2. The Ugly Mug
3. Perk and Brew I don't know if this place is still there either?
4. The Common Cup
5. Starbucks on Washtenaw Ypsilanti
   
6. Starbucks on Washtenaw Arborland
7. Starbucks on Carpenter
   
8. Espresso Royale
9. Biggby Coffee
10. The Coffee Lounge in Canton but I'm willing to give Cherry Hill a Chance
11. Beezy's
12. Harvest Moon Cafe
13. B-24's
14. Cafe Ollie
    

* Many of the places I found on the internet I know have gone out of business and so anything I found that I knew was out of business did not go on the list...duh, but some shops I think may be out of business, but I'm unsure did so we can see about them. I consider myself coffee house keen, since its more my scene than a bar is and some I have not heard of so I wonder if they are out of business or simply the best kept secret ever!
**There is no Bearclaw Coffee on my list because they are just stands.
***Most shops that were listed too far in Ann Arbor have been excluded because of the travel and parking effort.
****No Tim Hortons or Dunkin' Dounts because I have more class than that
*****Not in Canton or Plymouth since that is my hometown and I already know the perfect spot would be the Plymouth Coffee Bean which again has been excluded due to travel time
******Nothing on Eastern's Campus unless I am feeling nostalgic and writing/ re-living my college experience that day
*******Why not a library? Mostly because of hours and that would make writing seem more like work and like I said before, the purpose of this exercise is to make my writing an escape from my work...

Ideally, I would like to find a place that isn't corporate. I'd like to find a nice hipster privately owned by bohemians spot, but I am unsure this will happen given the hours I need the writing spot to be available to me and therefore places like Starbucks and Biggby still remain on the list.