Go for a Drive

You've probably noticed that everything about Insomnia Coffee Company is big. The outside is big. The inside is big. The windows are big. Even the drive through lane is big. You won't be stuck in the street or parking lot if there is a line.

Here's a shot of the drive through window. Big.


“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.” - Albert Einstein

Muddy Duck

The buzz around Hillsboro these days is that there aren't enough outlets for visual and performance arts. Insomnia Coffee Company will be doing their part by opening up their space to artists.

The Three Insomniacs have met with some artists already, and are busy seeking out more. There will be live music, of course, and there is a lot of space available for visual art displays.

The picture above shows a tea set by Richard and Mary Parker of Muddy Duck Pottery in Tigard. Fired at over 2000 degrees, it's a great example of well done art that's fun because, as they say at Muddy Duck, "Everything can't be serious." There's a link at the right for Muddy Duck Pottery if you want to see more.


All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.
- Pablo Picasso

"Shotgun"

I don't know if kids still call claim to the window seat that way.

You're welcome to call it at Insomnia Coffee Company, but it probably won't be necessary. They picked up a bunch of these from the Habitat for Humanity outlet. Enough so there's room for everyone, lovers and friends alike.


Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there is plenty of room at both ends. - Anonymous wedding toast.

Great Sinks

Two sinks are in, with more to come. Standard issue commercial grade stainless steel on the left. The one on the right has a history and was a gift to Insomnia Coffee Company from Insomnia's mentors, Jane and Victor at Sleepy Monk Coffee Roasters in Cannon Beach.

Thanks, Jane and Victor! It cleaned up real good.


editor's note - Sorry, I could only find one quotation relating to a sink, and it isn't a proper one for a family friendly blog. It's a familiar one, at least to this boy who was raised in the midwest. If you want to find it, it's by Charles Bukowski.

Hey Mike...

...watcha doin' there Mike? Looks like you're drilling holes in the bottoms of those table legs. Legs are too short aren't they, Mike? What are you going to do about that, Mike?

Mike?

Looks like Mike isn't talking. There also appears to be a lot more to work on all around him. I'll leave him to his work.


“I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.”
- Jerome K. Jerome

More Light - and the Right Color!

Another light in the restroom. And this time the color of the walls is correct. This room will be getting gold accents.

Anyone care to donate a mirror with an ornate gold frame?


The best mirror is an old friend. - Peter Nivio Zarlenga

Evan the Inspector

Counter tops a bit too high, Evan?


“I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.” - Woody Allen

Support Team Member - Corri

Corri is an Insomnia support team member who traveled from across the country to help out. Evan knows her as "Mom." She really came out to Oregon to see her new grandson, and ended up with painting duties. She stained all the new interior doors, and they're looking good.


"When I was a child, my mother said to me, 'If you become a soldier, you'll be a general. If you become a monk you'll end up as the pope.' Instead I became a painter and wound up as Picasso." - Pablo Picasso

Got Light?

This one is in one of the restrooms. The walls are painted, lights in, and doors on. The rest of the bathroom fixtures will be in soon, then a fancy mirror. The color is off in this picture, but in person it is a cool color - more blue than this.

You can't have a light without a dark to stick it in. ~Arlo Guthrie

Another Sign

One more piece of the decor. This sign is inside on the back wall. It's a used sign that's been somewhere before, but nobody knows where. If you've seen it before, other than at Amy and Evan's house, let the gang at Insomnia know where.

Groovy, man.

Sleepy Monk Coffee

Amy, Evan and Tyler will settle for nothing less than the best roasted coffee at Insomnia Coffee Company. That's why they spent many months and ran up a lot of miles on Amy's old Volvo to find the best. They sampled them all, picked the good ones, and spent time with the various roasters trying to find one that would provide the consistency and quality that Insomnia would require.

When they were through, they picked Sleepy Monk Coffee Roasters in Cannon Beach. Not only did they find the best coffee, they found a perfect match. The fine folks at Sleepy Monk are meticulous about roasting, and their coffee is organic fair trade certified. Sleepy Monk has a philosophy of community building by sharing their best with coast dwellers and visitors, and that fits perfectly with Insomnia's plan to be community builders in and around Hillsboro.

As a big part of the Insomnia Support Team, Jane and Victor of Sleepy Monk have been extremely helpful by sharing their years of coffee house wisdom and educating Hillsboro's future purveyors of fine coffee. It's just a bonus that the Sleepy Monk name goes so well with Insomnia Coffee.

Learn more about Sleepy Monk by clicking on their link at the right, then visit them in midtown Cannon Beach.

Tell them Insomnia sent you.

Cabinets, Cabinets, Cabinets!

The cabinets are here! Everyone has been waiting for these. As soon as they are done, the espresso machine and sinks can go in, and everything else that's needed here for fine coffee making.

Countertops are being worked on so there will be a flat surface to slide the wonderful drinks across. This area will be the heart of the whole production. Everything has been planned for a smooth operation, with plenty of space here for more than one barista to work. Much more space than the average coffee house.

But this isn't an average coffee house.

Meet the Cast - The Virginian

Here's Tyler. He's the other leading man in this production. Came to Oregon for Amy and Evan's wedding and decided to stay. Here you see him in awe of his new locale.

Tyler also spent time on the road. He and Evan toured together while becoming good friends and business partners to be, although they didn't realize it at the time.

Tyler is the detail guy. Throw any task at him and he'll see it through. By now the multitude of tasks accomplished has probably turned into a big blur. That's typical for any big production. Just about the time the curtain is going to rise, everyone involved will be looking at Tyler with a look that asks "did we forget anything?" A million things will flash through his mind and it will be too late to answer because the curtain will already be going up and the cast will be in character and heading onto the stage.

No pressure, Tyler.

Meet the Cast - Amy

Amy is our leading lady. Opening a coffee house has been a dream of hers for a long time. Even before meeting and marrying Evan, she was writing the first drafts of the script for Insomnia Coffee Company. Evan and Tyler came on board, the venue became available, and all of a sudden the production became bigger than all three of them. What else could they do but run with it?

Between being a barista and working for a coffee roaster, Amy has been in the coffee business for about twifty years, or something like that. She has had her eyes and mind open the whole time, soaking up everything she could about the art of coffee. At the same time she has mastered the art of turning customers into friends. If you've ever been to a good play and been pulled into feeling like you're a part of it and you know those people, that's how Amy makes her customers feel. It's a gift.

Like Evan and Tyler, Amy has spent a good bit of time on the road performing. That experience has given her a keen instinct for properly putting everything together for a performance. The musicians who will be coming to Insomnia Coffee Company will appreciate her professionalism, and the customers will get the best possible show because of it.

In this photo Amy is working on the flooring. She hasn't been in the construction shots as much as Evan and Tyler, but she's been there with them and involved in finishing up the construction all along.

So much to do before the curtain goes up!