Discerning Diner
Want a hot weather pick-me-up? Coffee WorksBy Elan Head
When Debbie Stall opened Coffee Works in April, she wanted to serve a great cup of coffee – that was Objective No. 1.
Coffee, that is, in all of its manifestations, whether espresso or drip, milk-frothed or black, steaming hot or iced. There would be other drinks, too, like smoothies and Italian sodas. All of it top-quality, made to order and served with the proverbial smile.
But Stall had another, overarching objective: To provide the sort of friendly, semi-public gathering place that creates its own community.
“I love coffee and I love the whole community that grows up around coffee,” says Stall. “My goals are to present a great spot for people to meet and to provide absolutely terrific customer service.”
For two months now, Stall has been doing exactly that.
On the northeast corner of Ray and Rural roads, the independently owned Coffee Works occupies a space left vacant by Coffee Plantation.
“It’s a very beautiful space and we’re happy to be here,” says Stall, who has redecorated to suit her objectives.
Now, a “very comfortable, open, living-room atmosphere” is balanced by “several little pockets” that are ideal for private meetings. It’s a place to take a friend or meet a new one; conducive to both business and leisure.
“There’s a term out there, ‘third space,’ that describes a place that is not home, not work, that’s characteristic of progressive cities,” Stall says. “I read that term and I thought ‘yes, that’s what I want (Coffee Works) to be.’”
And coffee, of course, is the lube oil of civilization. Coffee Works offers a full menu of it: From the classic cup of joe to now-familiar espresso drinks to innovations like the “Frozen Works,” the summer’s big seller.
Stall’s espresso comes from Ohio, but her drip coffee is the Scottsdale-roasted Bella Luna brand.
“My goal is to go local as much as possible,” she says. “That was a real plus, finding someone local with such a great product.”
Stall comes to the coffee business from corporate America. Before opening Coffee Works with husband Skip Pratt, she supplemented her layperson’s appreciation for the drink with months of research and understudy.
“I’m still learning all the time,” she says – but she builds on a pretty strong base.
And she’s committed to doing things right. Unlike many chain stores, which brew to standard specifications or use prepackaged mixes, Coffee Works makes its drinks to order: as strong or weak, milky or sweet as you’d like.
“We have a standard menu, but everything can be customized,” she says. “Nothing’s premixed; everything is a separate ingredient.”
Although coffee receives top billing here, the store also offers such hot-weather favorites as fruit smoothies, Italian sodas and Revolution brand iced teas.
Baked goods and pastries round out the menu – but save room for a Joseph Schmidt truffle. These exclusive chocolates from San Francisco are really exceptional.
For the Stalls, who are established residents of Warner Ranch, Coffee Works is a confirmation of their longstanding investment in the community.
“We’re definitely a local family and we felt that this was what was missing in this corner,” says Debbie.
Coffee Works, 4910 W. Ray Road, Suite 1. Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. (480) 214-0264.
