During my years in the restaurant biz, I've met scores of prople who were considering getting into it. I've given my share of opinion and advice, and although most of those discussions concluded with me saying "don't do it," that's not what I'd have said to Aaron Johnson, and Alex and Chad McCracken. One of the shortcomings when opening a restaurant is the owner's "lack of research," and let me tell you these guys are doing theirs in an unusual (and might I say enviable) way...on motorcycles.
The trio's business and expertise is coffee and coffeehouses, most recently at Kaldi's Coffeehouse, my Kaldi's, the one on Carondelet Ave in Clayton. Chad ran the store, brother Alex was the star barista (runner-up last year in the Midwest Barista Competition and also named one of the top 20 baristas in the nation), and Aaron was the resident barista-poet. Note the past tense. The trio gave notice a few weeks ago to begin an extended research project. Along with an HD-packing videographer, the foursome left St. Louis last Friday on a 6-week motorcycle trip. The particulars are summed up on their website, cafecircuit.com, briefly and impressively: "4 riders, 40 days, 13 states, 8000 miles."
The foursome is in search of coffee knowledge, tips, great local roasters, baristas with stories to tell, the components of the perfect coffee shop...and the perfect place to open one. (You can follow their sensory discoveries on their website, which they update regularly.)
When they return, one possible scenario is to open that coffeeshop here in St Louis. I just hope it's near my house. -- George Mahe
