What's up with all the dogs on the wall?

Almost every day working at In the Loop, someone asks us “what’s up with all the dogs on the wall?” And we always talk about our Pups on the Patio annual event. 📅

For a class assignment last year, I talked with Damiah, the talented photographer behind all the portraits. Damiah told me about the work that goes behind her art (shout out to the handsome Curly for posing as my muse).

Listen below! 🐾🎧

Since October 31st was my last day working as a barista at In the Loop, I want to share this story about Damiah and the dogs as a final goodbye post. I’ll miss the community and all the furry friends I’ve gotten to know over the past four years. It was a blast and I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my college years working anywhere else. Many of you know I’ve been working toward pursuing a career in journalism and I’m thankful for the well wishes and good vibes sent my way. I don’t know what the future holds, but I can’t wait to find out! ❤️

-Amie

We Have a new Mug Design!

Hello friends! I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.

If you are looking for an easy way to reduce your waste and show everyone your love for In the Loop, look no further than our new reusable coffee mug!

The paws were designed by our artist friend, James Stanley. You can gaze upon his quirky facade below.

James is a comedian and a freelance graphic designer, so that makes for some funny cartoons. He lives in Cottage Grove, but makes it out to the cities all the time for comedy shows. You may have seen him at Acme Comedy Club’s open mic nights. He would often stop in for a coffee at In the Loop before going downstairs.

He told me his comedy is not too R-rated, but you’ll have to check it out for yourself! He’s been on lots of podcasts, including an episode of comedian Ali Sultan’s Does This Age Well about his favorite movie, The Big Lebowski!!!

You can find more of his graphic design work at his website. Follow him on Twitter and check out some of his hilarious comics.

Flashback to Pups on the Patio

Hi friends!

On September 19th we had our Pups on the Patio event! We were able to stay socially distanced while we spoiled our furry friends.

For a project, I made an audio postcard of the event. Listen below!

Amie Stager · Pups on the patio

Thanks for a fun-filled day!

-Amie ❤️

We've Missed You!

It feels good to be back.

And we are back back, open during our regular hours with our regular menu items (including dog treats)! The only thing missing is that we’re only open for takeout, so you can’t spend time hanging out with us in the shop. No “for here” mugs, no playing checkers, no perusing our free little library...it’s a bummer we can’t return completely back to normal operation, but we’re still committed to the health and safety of our customers and neighborhood. We’re working hard to maintain a clean and sanitized space for everyone.

So thank you!

Thank you for being patient. Thank you for respecting the social distancing rules. Thank you for wearing masks even when it’s not required. Thank you for getting your coffee or bakery fix with us. Thank you for using our website and the Jump! Coffee app to order online. Thank you for buying gift cards. Thank you for your generous tips. Thank you for all your support!

It feels good to see everyone again. Regulars and new people, too! Someone who came in the other day told me he was basically making it his mission to help keep Minneapolis’s thriving local coffee shop scene alive by visiting his favorite shops all the time for takeout. He hadn’t visited us in years because it’s not often he finds himself in the North Loop. But when he was in the area, he had to visit us because he remembered how much he enjoyed our shop. He was pleased we were open and plans to come back to support us. It feels good to make those kind of connections again.

As much as I hope we can return to normal soon, I hope that our community can stay safe and healthy enough until we can find a vaccine for COVID-19. I know our hearts are all breaking for those who are suffering, losing loved ones, losing their businesses and life’s work. But getting to see all your faces, both human and furry ones, feels like healing a little bit.

Thank you for all the support. We’re still here for your breakfast, lunch, and coffee break. We have beans for your coffee at home, and there’s plenty of sweets for your cravings, which don’t go away when sheltering in place. If that special craving you’re feeling is for human connection, or maybe you just need to stretch your legs, come visit! It will feel good.

Staying In the Loop

Hi friends! Amie here. 👋

One of my favorite things about working at In the Loop is the community. The connections we make as baristas mean more than brewing coffee for our guests. By serving food and drink, we provide support to our neighborhood and to the people who run its businesses. We serve happy families and bright individuals and maybe most important of all? The dogs, of course. We contribute to a sense of community. And from that sense of community comes a deep devotion and commitment to public health and safety.

Social responsibility is a big responsibility. Not being able to come to work and feel this community for the time being is going to break my heart, but it’s for a better cause. We must do what we can to protect each other. As we closed on Tuesday, there was an overwhelming amount of support from the neighborhood. People bought remaining food items and coffee, as well as gift cards. Thank you thank you thank you from the bottom of all of our hearts! ❤️

Being there for our guests has always been an important part of what we do. We want everyone to feel at home. For example, one time a lady came in with her friends while I was working. Her friends left, but she stayed until closing time, and I was able to chat with her about the shop and random life things. She told me that she was having a rough couple of days, and she thanked me. She called my service to her a kind of ministry. I had no idea that bringing her coffee and extra silverware would be such a comfort to her in a time of emotional need. She said it meant a lot to her, and her saying that meant a lot to me! An act of service might seem small, but that doesn’t mean it’s not meaningful. We are all being called to sacrifice daily routines, from getting our favorite specially crafted coffee beverages to our gym sessions and religious gatherings. But we are in this together, and we must stay vigilantly kind, even in isolation.

For right now, my classes at the U of M are online. Not going to work and social distancing means I will be spending all of my time at home. I’m planning on catching up with my studies and getting some books knocked off my reading list. I have a little anxiety about quarantine and COVID-19, but I am practicing self-care, and the introvert in me is almost thrilled to have all this extra me-time. Taking walks outside, staying hydrated, etc. What are you doing to pass the time and manage anxieties? Share with us! Keep the sense of community alive. Have you started brewing coffee at home? What’s that like for you? How are you entertaining yourself and your kids? Is the dog just loving you being home all day every day? 🐾

It would mean the world if you continued to support us through buying an e-gift card. Keep following our social media so you know when we’ll open again! I am eagerly waiting to be back behind the bar again. ☕

Neighborhood Appreciation Day

Anyone who visits the North Loop can tell it’s a very community-based neighborhood. The neighborhood has a variety of stores, eateries, and coffee shops, all within walking distance. You’ll see dogs everywhere, and they’re even invited inside some of the businesses (like In the Loop!). We love being part of this neighborhood, and we appreciate everyone who makes us part of their community. That’s why we are once again hosting our annual Neighborhood Appreciation Day on Saturday, Feb. 22.

We will be giving away free small drip coffees and offering BOGOs on our other delicious, hand-crafted drinks. As always, you can bring your pup and purchase a puppuccino or grab some of our homemade treats. Schedule a meet-up with a friend, or just bring your pup and get to know your neighbors. Let’s continue to build this community together!

The Joy of Java

If you’ve been at In the Loop recently, you may have noticed something new! A new roast, that is!

JAVA, or JAVA KAYUMAS TAMAN DADAR (as listed on the B&W Specialty Coffee Co. website) is a new roast at In the Loop. It’s robust! It’s smoky! And it has hints of dark chocolate and spice.

This coffee comes from the Indonesian tropical rainforest. The island of Java was formed out of volcanic eruptions, and was the first place Indonesian coffee was grown.

Historically, Java’s economy relied on rice agriculture. The Dutch introduced coffee, and Javanese coffee was so popular around the world that “Java” became synonymous with coffee!

Next time we have Java, I highly recommend that you ask for a cup! ☕️

Espresso Love

Many people have asked me,

            “Can I buy espresso from you guys?”

And the answer is yes, of course, certainly! And we can grind  it for you, too. 

The espresso machine that we all know and love today was invented by Luigi Bezzera. Many different kinds of beans and blends can be used, because it’s not about the kind of coffee. It’s about the magical process of hot water, steam, and high pressure that creates beloved espresso.

In the Loop Coffee Co. gets all our beans, including our espresso, from B+W Specialty Coffee. Organic Fair Trade Espresso is so tasty. A pleasant, mild blend with spice and citrus flavors, our espresso is the best.

One extra shot in your drink is just 80 cents, and 2 extra shots is just $1.45. I promise you, it may just change your life.

P.S. Make sure to try our May Game Informer drinks of the moment, Coconut mocha and sparkling green teas, with choice of; raspberry, pomegranate, strawberry, or blueberry.

Happy Anniversary, In The Loop!

Happy anniversary, In The Loop!

Today marks the 3rd anniversary of In The Loop’s grand opening. That is around one thousand days of serving customers (furry ones, too!).

Marisa and Bill have worked so hard to make their coffee house an honored part of the North Loop. On Day One of In The Loop, the bake case went missing! On its way to the shop, it was accidentally delivered to the wrong warehouse. When they finally got a replacement, Eric the builder had to remove the door from its hinges and the paneling next to it in order to fit it through the door. Problem-solving at its finest!

In The Loop has gone through some changes. Remember what it was like before the black comfy chairs and the extended railing? There have been additions to the menu as well as many additions to Mount Ruffmore. What is your favorite thing about In The Loop?

Thank you for choosing us to satisfy your coffee needs and cravings! See you soon.

-Amie

P.S. The new April Game Informer drink of the month is the Rose Latte! Rose syrup with honey and a violet-colored whip. And of course, the Peanut Butter Latte, too.

P.P.S. April 4th is also my birthday! It was meant to be :)

Baristas' Favorites

The baristas at In the Loop all love coffee, of course, but we have a wide range of tastes to go with our unique personalities!

My favorite drink of all time is an oat milk mocha. After discovering that oat milk existed, I have to say it’s my chosen alternative to dairy milk. It’s creamy and sweet. I love to indulge my sweet tooth. My favorite roast is a dark Sumatra, but I do enjoy our iced cold press using Peruvian, and Ethiopian is my go-to light roast.

Grace’s favorite drink is a “poor college kids” miel. Order two shots of espresso with honey, a cup of ice, and fill up with half and half from the mixing stand. Another favorite of Grace’s is what’s called a Mazagran, which is something I’ve actually never heard of before. The Mazagran originated in Algeria, and consists of cold press coffee with lemonade. It was invented by creative French soldiers with limited options for coffee. It is served in a tall glass with lemon.

Grace prefers dark roasts with notes of smoke, cherry, and dried fruit, such as Brazilian or other South American blends. She prefers the brewing methods of pour-over or Chemex.

Cassie loves animals and is a proud vegan! She loves herself some oat milk. She enjoys soy caramel lattes and oat milk hot chocolates in fancy mugs. She prefers light roasts. We are all working at improving our latte art, but Cassie is amazing at it!

Brenda is a big fan of miels! A miel is a latte with honey and cinnamon. She will always suggest a miel to customers who don’t know what to get. She also loves a salted caramel latte and suggests that too! Dark and medium roasts are her jam. She also loves a good French press.

Marisa enjoys an iced almond milk creamette, and Bill loves a good americano. They both love Ethiopian Sidamo roast.

A Brief Love Letter to Ethiopian Roast

Dear Ethiopian Roast,

I love walking into the shop and seeing the “Ethiopian Light Roast” sign on the board for coffee of the day. Life is better when you’re around, preferably in a freshly-poured mug.

The experts in the Coffee Lover’s Handbook said that Ethiopia is the “birthplace of coffee.” Makes sense to me! The legend is that Arabica beans were officially discovered when a herder named Kaldi noticed a difference in his goats behavior when they ate red “cherries” found in the wild. According to the National Coffee Association, his goats were “energetic” and “did not want to sleep at night.” Thus began the world’s obsession with this bean!

Oh, Ethiopian Roast. How your fruity notes of citrus give me life! I love you, and will enjoy you forever and ever.

Yours truly,

Amie

P.S. New Decembers drinks include the Eggnog latte, the Spicy Mocha, and the Candy Cane Mocha! We have new candy cane cookies, too! Taste some before they’re gone!

Sweater Weather's Better than Ever at In the Loop

The skies are grayer and the leaves are falling at top speeds, spinning in mini tornados in the streets and gathering in mountainous piles (requiring inspection by dog noses everywhere). The air is chilly but it hasn’t begun to hurt my cheeks yet. It’s been a rainy and blustery autumn season so far. For those of you wishing for snow—how dare you!? This weather is perfect.

It’s been perfect for the annual “pumpkin spice everything” but at In the Loop, we’ll be offering new drinks for the month, including a Toasted Marshmallow Mocha. It’s made with toasted marshmallow syrup, your choice of white or dark mocha, and the cutest tiny marshmallow toppings. I’m already obsessed with it!

Also new is the Gingerbread Latte. We’re in for a tasty November!

Now that the awning in front of the shop is gone, it looks much lighter and brighter in here. While Marisa and Bill travel across the globe, the rest of the In the Loop crew will be here to serve you your favorite drinks and food. We hope that your November will be filled with everything warm and cozy.

-Amie

(P.S. Don’t worry, we’ll serve pumpkin everything until we run out.)

(P.P.S. Oat milk is in stock again. Get it in your drinks while you can!)

Happy National Chai Day!

It’s also the first day of fall and it sure feels like fall! Trying some new fun things this fall, like pot pies. A chicken pot pie and perhaps a vegan, not gluten free cause well, I’m really excited about puff pastry. However, if you have any ideas about gluten free puff pastry we are all ears! In October we have pumpkin everything. And I mean lots of pumpkin!

Pumpkin white mochas

Pumpkin spice lattes

Pumpkin pie chai

We also are taking our ham and brie sandwich and swapping the fig butter for some very yummy pumpkin butter.

And then came fall ......

Just like that, State Fair ends, Labor Day is over and we get cooler mornings. It is perfect walking weather outside! Even our pups have more spring in their step. Speaking of pups…. Loved how the pics turned out from our Pups on the Patio Portrait Session. They will for sure be added to our website, but now getting them printed and the mattes done up will be the real challenge.

Our new drinks this month are a oaky butter pecan latte (closest thing to bourbon we can legally sell!); and a Swedish Latte made with maple syrup and cardamom. The Swedish is quickly becoming my fave, hot or cold its just the perfect balance of sweetness. We will have them all month until October, when we bring PSL back. And no, we’re not jumping on the rush to end the year bandwagon of flavors and they know who they are (big mermaid). We love fall and love to savor every smell, bonfire, freshly picked apple and bootie shoes there is.

With the changing of seasons came a changing of some familiar faces. We said goodbye to two of our team and welcomed 2 more. We hope you’ll all love them as much as we all do!

Below you will find a few of the new dogs we’re adding to Mount Ruffmore. To see them all visit our FAQ’s page.

Pup's on the Patio!

It's that time of year again.  Our annual "Pups on The Patio" event is this Saturday, August 18th from 2pm-4pm .  We will have free puppuccinos to all our fur patrons.  

We are also looking for to hire someone new.  Must love dogs, and coffee not necessarily in that order. Please submit any resumes to In.the.loop.coffee@gmail.com

  Also going to be playing with some fun flavors for fall. Stay tuned.

Summer happenings....

We gained a new girl,  Lydia joins the team this month!  We are excited to have her enthusiasm and coffee experience she brings from a previous coffee shop.   Lydia is also in the theater world, so feel free to visit and get to know her.  

I'm also working on updating this website by adding more doggo pics and speaking of dog pics, we are figuring out when our next pups on the Patio event will be this August.  So do stay tuned for that update.  

Looking into July we bring a refreshing lemonade slush with strawberry or maybe passion fruit, we are still kicking around some flavors.  If you have any flavor combos or new drink ideas please feel free to share. 

Neighborhood Appreciation Day!

On Sunday, February 25th we will be doing a special promotion: free drip coffee and drink BOGO's from 8am-2pm, as well as free pupuccinos for the pooches. 

It's our way of saying "thanks" to all our wonderful peeps who keep us coming to work each day.  We truly love getting to know each and every one of you and your fur babies.

We look forward to seeing you all on the 25th! 

Mount RuffMore

Finally, all of the portraits taken in August are up and on the wall.   We're really pleased with how they turned out.  However there are so many more pups we want to add.  It really brings our little corner of the North Loop together with a mutual love for the furkids. Pics soon to follow.

Drinks coming for January:  spicy mocha & cookies and cream mocha. 

Rolling through December

   Well, as we wind down through the end of 2017, we'd like to thank everyone for their ongoing support of our little corner of the North Loop.  We really love this neighborhood and enjoy getting to know everyone.

   Our December drinks are so yummy.  Candy cane mocha, salted caramel mocha with an edible glitter sprinkle, and eggnog latte made with organic valley eggnog.  Now I can go on and on about the differences of eggnog but I'll just share why I love this stuff.  Firstly, it isn't syrupy (probably because they don't use high fructose corn syrup) and its creamy, in a "I'll have seconds" way. 

   We also got a number of fun mugs available for purchase.  They're so cute and make an excellent gift for the fur parent in your life. Or just because, you can check them out on our instagram page.

   Next on the docket for improving our little shop is a shelving unit for all the mugs and expanded coffee selection.  Dog portraits,  they are almost done and Bill shall soon be placing them upon Mount Ruffmore to join the other pooches on our wall.