Yanis Coffee Zone

That was the assessment of Jason Kearney following a recent visit to the Coffee Zone:

It is no secret that I love coffee. I've liked coffee for a long time, but really got into it a few years ago, while working for a guy who had a fascination for fine coffee. It wasn't enough to drink the hotel coffee, he had to locate a Starbucks. He would go miles out of his way to find one, and he became known for his love for Starbucks coffee. In fact, he got me hooked on it. I always thought it was crazy to pay two bucks for a cup of coffee, when you could get a bigger cup, "just as good," I thought, for half that. Yeah, I thought Quik Trip coffee was just as good. Because my boss, when in town, always bought my coffee, the cost was not an issue for me. The more I drank it, the more I liked it. And the more I drank it, the more I came to appreciate consistency in the taste of coffee. That's one thing about Starbucks--it is consistent. It is the same good tasting drink every time. At Quik Trip, sometimes you get a good cup of coffee, and sometimes it tastes like the bottom of an ashtray. The more I became hooked on Starbucks, the more Quik Trip tastes like the ashtray. Today, the thought of drinking a cup from Quik Trip turns my stomach. No thanks.

Now I'm not going to get into why this is the case. I'm sure there are plenty of "baristas" out there who will say that Starbucks is consistent because they keep their coffee machines clean, or because they don't let the coffee sit after brewing for more than thirty minutes. Maybe it is because of the temperature of the water, or that they train their employees about one primary thing--making coffee, unlike Quik Trip, whose employees have to know about lots of different things.

I've found that most people don't know how to make coffee right. They use inferior machines, inferior coffee, and inferior filtering systems. Even at coffee shops and restaurants that are supposed to specialize in morning beverages (Ihop comes to mind), their coffee is sub-par. That is why I buy Starbucks whole bean coffee, by the pound, about once a week, and brew it at home. When I'm on the road, or I ride my bike to work, I go into the store, and I buy it by the cup. I'm the holder of the treasured Starbucks Gold Card.

Last year, I was in Jefferson City, Missouri on business. I was staying in the Doubletree Hotel, which had the distinction of being the site of the only Starbucks in town. Problem is, it wasn't really a Starbucks, it was a Starbucks stand, and was manned by an older lady who didn't know a thing about coffee. It was not the worst coffee I'd ever had, but it was by far the worst Starbucks coffee I'd ever had. By day three of the meeting, I was desperate for some decent coffee. Sitting in downtown JC, I used my cell phone to search for a local coffee shop, and to my surprise and delight, there was a place just down the block.

It was called Yanis Coffee Zone. I walked inside, and immediately noticed several things. First, the proprietor knew everyone's name and drink when they walked in the door. Taisir Yanis greeted everyone with a smile, and an encouraging word. The second thing I noticed was that there were two pictures of Taisir on the wall. One was a picture of him with King Hussein of Jordan. My thought was, "wow, this guy is well-connected, and King Hussein was a great ally of the United States." But then I looked at the picture a few spaces down, and noticed a picture of him with Yassir Arafat. Oh well, at least he keeps his options open.

When it was my turn in line, I asked him if he served Cafe Americano, which was my favorite drink at Starbucks. He grinned, shook his head, and told me to wait right there. He stepped to the back, and brought me a sample taste of his strongest coffee. I drank the sample, and it was remarkably good. I asked him for a full cup. He brought it to me, grinned, and said, "the first one's for free."

He called it "Rocket Fuel." I refer to it as "Palestinian Blend." It is really strong coffee, and tastes great.

The next day I was back, like he knew I would be. This time I purchased a cup of the Rocket Fuel, and a full pound of whole beans to take home. Since that day, any time a co-worker comes down from JC, I ask them to bring me a pound. They usually don't do it, because the smell is so strong, and it is a five hour drive. I was back in town last week, and bought two pounds home. When I fill my Moccamaster with Rocket Fuel, watch out. I am hooked on Yanis Coffee Zone--it is the best I've ever had, and Starbucks pales in comparison.

Taisir is a good study in how to run a successful business. He really cares about his customers. He is a nice guy, always smiling. He remembers names, and engages his customers in conversations about what is going on in their lives. He makes great coffee, but it isn't about the coffee, it is about doing what he does, really well. I suspect that if he had opened a car repair shop, he would be equally successful.

There is something else about Taisir. Something I didn't know until a friend sent me a news story about him. Taisir Yanis is famous--in his native Jordan, anyway. As it turns out, he gained notoriety as an actor, starring in many television shows and stage plays. That explains the pictures of him with Hussein and Arafat.  Here is a link to the news story in the Jeff City News-Tribune. You should read it. Here is a link to his website.

Since the inauguration of President Obama, a lot has been made about America's arrogance in the world. Our president took it upon himself to apologize to the world for the attitude of many Americans, because we believe that America is exceptional. You see, there are those among us who believe that America is the same as every other country, and our belief that we are the greatest nation in the world is indulgent and rude. But the Americans of a hundred years ago thought differently. They believed in something called "American exceptionalism." They believed that America was better than any other nation in the world, and most of the rest of the world recognized it too. One famous historian believed that it was the "frontier mentality" that made America great. I don't know exactly why America is great, but I believe that it is. That's just how I feel.

The other day, some of us were discussing the article about Taisir, and someone asked me a question. They asked why a guy would leave a country where he had achieved so much fame and notoriety, to move to a small city in mid-Missouri and own a coffee shop.

I don't know for sure, because I've never asked him. But maybe it is because it is better to own a coffee shop in America than to be a famous actor in any other country. Maybe it is because this is a great country, the greatest country in the world.And this nation needs more great coffee, and more great Americans like Taisir Yanis.

Reposted with Jason's (after-the-fact) consent