Hattie’s Fine Coffee Review

Photo by Maddie Smiley

For me, Hattie’s Fine Coffee has always been a place for me to grab a coffee and then just head home to start up my homework.  However, after undergoing construction about a month ago, Hattie’s now offers a much more upbeat, lively atmosphere, where I could see myself actually doing my homework there or meeting up with friends for coffee.

Instead of old, dim-lit yellow walls, Hattie’s now has bright, white walls. The new walls provide the coffee shop with a modern vibe and keep the shop looking clean and simple. Hopefully the brighter walls will make me much more alert when I come here to study for my biology tests.  Personally, I felt like the old walls did not do the coffee shop justice, as  it made the shop seem much older and not as cheery.

In addition, the area where the employees prepare the drinks is now hidden by a dark brown-stained wooden barrier, adding privacy for the employees and concealing their coffee-making “mess.” In the past, I was able to easily see the space where the employees blend up different juices or smoothies. Although large in size, I think the barrier keeps the coffee shop looking organized and the wooden aspect gives Hattie’s a trendy, rustic vibe.  

To match the wooden barrier, the tables are now wooden with a geometric design in the middle. In the center of these tables, tiny blue vases are displayed with an assortment of bright-colored flowers. These little details help tie the coffee shop’s new, trendy atmosphere all together.  

Another small detail that has helped reboot Hattie’s are the new light fixtures hanging above the cash register area.  Previously, the lights had looked like old Frisbee discs that gave off a yellow glow, but the new lights are tulip-shaped, which radiate a much lighter color. The new lights add character and keeps the coffee shop from looking like an old kitchen.

Instead of having to search for the menu behind the employees upon entering, the wall-sized chalk board-esque menu is now placed on the right wall right by the door, and the cash register position has been moved to face the door.  Although this sounds like a minimal change, I found this extremely helpful, as I used to stumble around the entrance, unsure of where to pay.

My typical order, Skyler’s kickstart, still tasted just as fresh and the price remained just as high, $6.80. However, with its new makeover, Hattie’s Fine Coffee proved to be a higher quality place for a study sesh or a cup of coffee.