As a daily consumer of many cups of coffee, its been heartening to watch the number of alternatives to the ubiquitous chain outlets. Theres certainly a market for them, as evidenced by the well over 100 Starbucks in the city (over 300 in the Lower Mainland!)
For my part, I dig Le Marche St. George off Main, Elysian on 5th off Burrard, Nelson The Seagull in Gastown, 49th Parallel on the West 4th strip, Revolver on Cambie off Cordova, Dunlevy Snackbar in Strathcona, and Prado on Commercial Drive the most, but there are many more (not to mention 10 locations each from homespun chainlets of JJ Bean and Caffe Artigiano).
By my reckoning, weve landed at least one outstanding café for every 25 mentionable new eateries. Though less meteoric, the dynamics of the ascendancy are strikingly similar: a new generation of operators comes up through the ranks to wrestle away a rein (sometimes two) from their former bosses by applying all theyve learned on the ladder to the passions of ownership. I dont know about you, but for me its an oft-repeated script that never gets tired.
Case in point: Aaron Braun and the husband-and-wife team of Spencer and Annie Viehweger, the three young partners behind , a brand new café and blethering place just off Fraser and Kingsway (on the same recessed half-block as Les Faux Bourgeois). Between them, theyve toiled at JJ Bean, Elysian and West Vans Crema.
And youll love what theyve done with the place. When they took possession this past summer, 639 E. 15th was a sight that even a hoarder would balk at. (Ive heard tell of a mountainous mess left behind by an artist who was cloistered there for some 17 years). Once cleaned up and with old bones revealed (it used to be a bank in the 1920s), they leaned on next to none of it, opting instead for a rather naked aesthetic of clean lines, polished concrete, white tile, and plenty of wood in light stains to soak up the days ample supply of natural light.
It exudes a quiet confidence and isnt the least bit oppressive; oozing style without grasping desperately for it; quiet on character but loud on cool. The soundtrack is bang on, too, and heavy with soul (plenty of Otis Redding on my last visit). Braun and the Viehwegers also call out to the floor for musical requests, which I havent seen done in a coffee house in decades. As for the customers occupying the 25 seats (half of which are at a long, communal table), theyre a polyglot of folks from the neighbourhood; mostly young stylers of the shiny new Macbook class, updating their Tumblrs and synching their iPhones between bites and sips.
Theyve got all the equipment needed to roast coffee beans in-house, which they will start to do very soon. The beans they employ per cup are sourced from a revolving trio of nations (Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Kenya on my last visit), and they also do retail bean bag sales from Calgary roasters Phil & Sebastian. The espresso bar options are standard (everything from straight shots to mochas). Order a latte and you receive a work of art.
As far as food is concerned, they do the requisite baked goods and shine with a few sandwich options, each anchored by fresh baguettes from Baguette & Co.. Meats are sourced from Save On Meats (they do a very good roast beef sammy with blue cheese and horseradish aioli), and the vegetarian option (carrot, cukes, avocados and sprouts over hummus) tastes clean and fresh. Prices dont exceed $10.
Im particularly sold on the branding. The name matchstick is a nod to how we havent lost sight of the value of a single match in a world that has opted for cheap plastic lighters. The meaning is not lost. Starbucks might provide consistent, hot cups of coffee, but pit them against those brewed by local, independent owner-operators whose singular thrill is the daily pursuit of bean perfection, and one can easily taste the difference. If you havent been yet, go.
Matchstick coffee is open from 7am to 6pm, seven days a week at 639 E. 15th (Fraser & Kingsway) | 604-558- 0639 | MatchstickCoffee.com.
