Five Minutes With… ·
Five Minutes With Equator Coffee Barrhaven
Equator Coffee Barrhaven · Neighbourhood coffee shop, Barrhaven
Equator Coffee Barrhaven is in its third year on the block, and staff there say the neighbourhood surprised them: they expected quiet evenings like most cafes, but found a steady after-5pm crowd of tea and dessert regulars instead. The morning rush still builds around the school and commute, with a second wave timed to Indigo's opening down the block. Ryan King, writing on behalf of the shop, shared what a typical day looks like and what three years behind the counter has taught the team about the people they serve.
Walk us through a Barrhaven morning behind the counter. When does it get busy, and who is coming through the door at each part of it?
“Each part of the day has something different to offer here at Equator Barrhaven. With our extensive hours from 7:30 to 9 and 8 to 7 on Sundays, we are taking care of the community's coffee and snack needs throughout the whole day. Our mornings begin with a mix of commuters getting ready for their work day and folks who are looking for a peaceful place to sit and enjoy the atmosphere. Our kitchen staff arrives an hour before we open to bake off a selection of scones, muffins, and croissants. The morning barista crew takes time to dial in our espresso machine to get it pulling perfect espresso shots and get our first pots of coffee brewing. Our big rush of customers begins around 10 am, usually coinciding with Indigo bookstore opening their doors, and continues up until around 1pm. Our next big rush usually hits around 3pm as commuters are getting home from work, kids are being picked up from school, and friends are meeting up to enjoy the remainder of the afternoon. We also can't forget about our after-dinner crowd, enjoying a cup of tea or decaf espresso drink often paired with our rather large slices of cakes and pies for dessert.”
Regulars turn a coffee shop into part of their routine. How has the shop become part of the neighbourhood's, and what does that look like on an ordinary weekday?
“It has been a great pleasure getting to know so many regulars over the past few years! It still amazes me how such great connections are made simply through making customers their drinks every day. As we serve our regulars throughout the week, we get to experience so many milestones with them such as babies being born, job promotions, and moving, or the "little" things like what music they are listening to or how their cats are doing. I also always tell my staff that we are in the business of making new regulars! This means we are looking for those moments when we can connect with someone new in a way that surpasses simply making their coffee. We love learning more about the people we serve and getting the opportunity to become a part of another person's routine!”
What has serving this neighbourhood taught you about it that you would not have guessed before you opened here?
“We are currently in our third year of business here in Barrhaven and have so enjoyed our time getting to serve this community! Something that surprised us about Barrhaven was how many customers are still visiting our cafe after 5 pm. Early on in our journey, we assumed that our evenings would follow the trend for most cafes and would be quite quiet. As word got around that we are open until 9, we realized that there was a gap in the market for coffee shops open through the evening to service the post-dinner coffee and dessert crowd.”
Your favourite Barrhaven spot?
“A newer addition to the Barrhaven burger scene, Burger and Fries Forever, has been a favourite of mine as of late! Great ownership, fun atmosphere inside, and good quality burgers and fries.”
Who in Barrhaven should we talk to next?
“I would definitely suggest chatting with the owner of Burgers and Fries Forever!”
This interview was conducted in writing through the Bugle’s interview form; answers lightly edited for length and clarity.