Don Cox, more commonly referred to as

by ALYSSA BOYER
Intern Lifestyles Reporter

As temperatures drop and class workloads increase, few commodities are of greater demand than a delicious, hot cup of coffee.

Fortunately, a freshly brewed cup is never out of reach.

From Bald Guy Brew to Espresso News, Boone coffee shops offer both atmosphere and flavor to suit many, providing warmth and solace despite the cold.

“I really like Espresso News because they combine my two favorite things: coffee and books,” Katherine J. Kutrubs, sophomore graphic arts and imaging major said. “I like BeansTalk [Coffeehouse] because I just love the layout of the place. On taste alone, I would go to Higher Grounds [Coffee Shop]. They have more variety.”

Rows of large glass jars of coffee beans line one of the walls at Higher Grounds Coffee Shop.

Barista Leslie J. Frampton, mathematics secondary education major, said the shop has 42 different varieties of beans.

It can be found in the New Market Center, which is “conveniently located by the movie theater, so you can stop by before or after a date,” Frampton said.

Howard Street’s Espresso News is a combination coffee shop-bookstore.

Many customers grab cups of coffee made with beans roasted in the shop each morning, head upstairs and sit and read. 

The shop is known for its homemade, organic truffles, selling flavors that include Classic Earl Grey and Chocolate Red Chili.

The owners of the shop, each with art degrees, created the flavors.

BeansTalk Coffeehouse, owned by Will Bryan, is open until 11 p.m. seven days a week, later than most local shops.

“I thought Boone needed some nightlife, not necessarily alcohol-oriented,” Bryan said. “It’s not as loud and bustling as a bar, but it’s not a quiet place to come study.”

Dozens of coffee mugs hang from the ceiling of the shop, each belonging to a regular BeansTalk customer.

Those who store their mugs pay only for a small coffee, regardless of the size of the mug.

BeansTalk Coffeehouse is on King Street and is one of several shops that offer Bald Guy Brew, a product of the business started two years ago by Don “Bald Guy” Cox and his wife.

Using a mobile coffee and espresso-roasting buggy that runs on bio-diesel and solar power, Cox set up headquarters off N.C. Highway 105 Bypass.

He now provides coffee to numerous stores and restaurants, including Boone Bagelry, Black Bear Books, The BeadBox, Bare Essentials Natural Market and the Watauga County Farmers’ Market.

To Cox, however, the business is about more than simply serving coffee.

10 percent of every sale is given to the International Justice Mission to prevent children across the globe from being forced into slavery and prostitution.

As part of his “Beans for Bikes” program, Cox rides his bicycle to make coffee deliveries, raising money to provide bikes for Rwandan coffee farmers.

Bald Guy Brew is also one of several local shops that offers organic, shade grown coffee, believed to have more flavor than regular coffee and developed from beans that mature slower than beans grown in the sun.

Cox said about 90 percent of the coffee he purchases is via fair trade, ensuring farmers who grew the beans were paid fairly and not overworked.

“You can either empower coffee growers or you can exploit coffee growers,” Cox said.

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