Plenty of places exist where one can mainline
a cup of coffee, but few claim their beans are socially and environmentally
conscious.
At Gorilla Coffee (owner Darleen Scherer, pictured, has an affection
for apes), which opened in Park Slope last month, the coffee
is brewed using beans purchased through the Fair Trade Organization,
a group that pays farmers a decent wage to sustain their farms
and crops.
If you pull up a chair to one of the store’s nine tables any
day from 1 pm to 6 pm, you can breathe in the aroma of roasting
beans. Scherer buys hers "green" and then roasts them
in 30-pound batches.
The roasting produces a strong, rich brew that "the customers
are really enthusiastic about," said store employee Graeme
Kennedy. Scherer purchases scones, biscuits and old-fashioned
cookie bars topped with pecans and caramel, or a treat called
a Revel Bar – graham crackers and chocolate pudding – from Taylor’s,
a well-known supplier of baked goods in Manhattan.
In addition to their robust coffee, organic teas and hot chocolate
are also served.
Gorilla Coffee (97 Fifth Ave. between Park Place and Prospect
Place) accepts cash only. The shop opens at 7 am and serves until
9 pm on weekdays, and until 10 pm on the weekend. Drinks: $1.50-$4.50.
Baked goods: $2.25-$3.50. Half-pound of freshly ground coffee:
$5. Pound of ground coffee: $9.50. For information, call (718)
230-3243.
