Lower East Siders don’t let a little stormy weather keep them from their morning coffee routines. Around the neighborhood today, many locally owned coffee shops were not only open, but doing robust business and planning to keep serving as long as they had power to brew and customers to imbibe.
“We’ve seen all our regular customers, and a lot of other people’s regular customers, too,” said Wally Corrales, who opened 12 Corners coffee shop at 155 E. Broadway in August. Corrales and his partner Mary Colgan, who live nearby at Hester and Mott streets, plan to stay open as late as possible today and will try to open tomorrow as well. They are stocked with coffee supplies and baked goods, though they were unable to get bagels this morning because Kossar’s was closed.
Among their customers this morning: tourists from New Mexico staying nearby, who were supposed to fly home early this morning.
On Orchard Street a few blocks away, a woman who gave her name as Nicole was out walking her dog and hoping to find Lost Weekend coffee shop open — which it was.
“I have cereal, chocolate, multivitamins and candles, so I will be able to survive for a while,” said the Forsyth Street resident.
Pushcart Coffee at 221 E. Broadway normally opens at 7 a.m., but the baristas admitted their first customer at 6:30 today.
“People were happy to see us,” said staffer Dave Mayer.
Not every coffee shop turned its lights on this morning, however. Those closed included Roasting Plant on Orchard Street, Cafe Grumpy on Essex — and the Starbucks on Delancey.
I was there this morning. Love the place!