We've Got Soul

thanks to spotify we've been listening to hours of singles from the stax/volt collection circa 1959-1968 here at homer's. i'm convinced that you can't overdose on old memphis soul. the sounds of otis redding, booker t and the mg's, carla thomas, and many others are playing as i type this. we've got soul, yes we do... we've got soul, how about you?

Between Christmas and New Years

i got to work with kristen yesterday. it was a treat because she is on christmas break from UMKC. when i found her lunchbox the other day, i had to get a pic. it reminded me of my old 70s lunchbox.

Wishes For Punches

laura and i opened the shop this morning about 30 minutes ago. it's christmas eve. if you wish us a merry christmas we'll give you double punches toward a free drink. yep.

We're Still Here

Cold & Flu Season

our apologies for the lack of posts on the blog. the cold and flu hit the metro hard this winter. but it looks like everyone is on the mend. wash your hands, take your vitamins, drink lots of tea at homer's.

From Bean to Cup

Abstract Love

in addition to great coffee, and great music, homer's is becoming a haven for really cool art. if you love abstract work by jackson pollock or willem de kooning then check out the coffee & tea art by our own baristas: laura and hannah. best viewed while listening to guided by voices.

Caffeinated Holiday Art

thanks to laura clark and her devotion to coffee, the baristas at homer's are getting better at latté art. ladies and gentlemen, i present the christmas stylings of david munyan. and hey... are the holidays draining your coffee funds? get double punches toward a free drink just for reading this!

Pets and Pet People

homer's patio turns into pet central when the weather is nice. thanks to janette for capturing the moment a few days ago. if you can name one of these customers (or their dogs) you will get double punches toward a free drink!

Look Like a Celeb @ Homer's

so laura posted this pic comparing one of our customers to the gambler himself, kenny rogers. whaddya think? could he keep ruby from taking her love to town? does he know when to hold 'em or when to fold 'em? would lucille pick a fine time to leave him? let us know and get double punches toward a free drink!

Wailin' Wall Returns to Homer's

wailin' wall returns to homer's tonight at 7:30pm. tom cook will join dan, matt, griffin, and me as we play through songs like copperhead road, ramblin' man, jolene, and let my people go go. go ahead and click on the song titles to see if that's the kind of music you like... we'll wait... just click... right up there... do it... NOW!

Return of the Trollquotes

a long time ago i discovered trollquotes. it's kinda hard to explain it but i'll try: a trollquote consists of a quote, someone who said it, and an image... the interesting part is when you realize that the 3 things don't match up. today's trollquote is for tiny tim who left this world 26 years ago tomorrow. see if you can correctly identify the celebrity above, and the correct author of the quote. remember, double punches for everyone who figures it out!

Goodies and the Answer

what's that sound? freshly baked scones are calling your name at homer's this morning! if you're not in the mood for sweets, then there's a quiche waiting for you. and if you missed yesterday's music trivia, the answer was david bowie singing oh! you pretty things.

Mystery Coffee Song IV

i'm not positive, but after a quick peek into the archives i can only find 3 other times we've done a "name that tune" sort of thing... so here's number 4! do you know this song? take a guess and get double punches toward a freebie!
breakfast and coffee by ???

The Barista POV

laura clark made this awesome video. if you want to know what it's like @ homer's before the customers show up, just watch this video.

Enter the Holidays

thanksgiving is in my rearview mirror. soon i'll recover from turkey, tv, and time off. it's good to know that homer's is there to ease me in to the christmas season. thanks to observando.net for the image above.

Day Before Thanksgiving

thanksgiving. it's the day most of us get together with families, eat turkey, watch TV, and dress up like indians. you can see more thanksgiving pics like this one on awkward family photos.

So Manly

at homer's we like it when someone throws a dollar (or more) in the tip jar. it's even better when artwork is included. on this particular dollar bill the text next to washington reads: "so manly he shaved with a chainsaw."

I'm Gonna Live

what do we do when it's cloudy and cold outside? tune pandora into the retro reggae sounds of jimmy cliff and say "i'm gonna live, i'm gonna love, i'm gonna play jimmy cliff."

Latté Art Competition

laura clark and david munyan were in the first cowtown throwdown latté art competition at  parisi artisan coffee this weekend. laura has been training all the baristas at homer's in latté art. apparently she trained david a little too well: he beat laura.

The Flip Side

on one side of the chalkboard the customer sees the different blends of brewed coffee for the day. on the flip side the barista sees potential for coffee art. this is the flip side.

The People in Your Neighborhood

i walked to work today and said hello to hank, ethel, pilar, barbara, and rigo. who are the people in your neighborhood?

Our Common Ground

one more post before the day after election day becomes two days after election day. this is something most of our customers can agree on. thanks to bob jarred for sharing this pic.

Nothing New Under the Sun

"my hope is built on nothing less than jesus' blood and righteousness"
-edward mote

What Kind of Wishes

if you rubbed a coffee mug and summoned a coffee genie, what kind of wishes would you ask for? thanks to hannah and laura for their awesome artwork.

Post Halloween Wrap Up

another halloween has gone by, another cast of alter egos have been put on and discarded. some of us never grow up... and in regard to halloween, that's ok.

Another Halloween

 

my wife and i don't have kids so we go trick or treating with our friends and their kids. this is a tradition that we've done for a few years now. here's a halloween video i made the first year i started blogging for homer's.

Happy Birthday Bob Ross

bob ross would have been 70 years old today. somebody was thinking of him when they took this pic of their coffee residue. long live bob ross.

When It Matters

On Your Feet

i carry a digital camcorder/camera with me everywhere i go, but i don't look for extraordinary things to motivate me to take a picture. yesterday i took these pics of my feet and a couple of other employee's feet. mine are pretty easy to spot, but can tell which pair of shoes belong to ashley and genene? double punches for everyone who tries. this whole experience reminds me of the opening credits to footloose.

The Goggles

i've lost track of how many sunglasses i've worn and lost over the years. they always get lost or broken somehow. a couple of years ago i bought a pair that i wear around my neck in hopes that neither happens. customers associate these sunglass goggles with motorcycles and often ask me if i ride one. when i answer "no" they just look at me funny and chalk it up to one more weird thing i do.

Coffee Joke #3

I put instant coffee in a microwave and almost went back in time.

Three Minute Fiction

i recently entered an NPR writing contest called three minute fiction. the idea is to write a story that's 600 words or less, and the subject matter has to revolve around the president (real or imagined). so why is this on the homer's blog you may ask? some of the stories are making it on the NPR blog, and one of the contestants wrote a story where the president is taking forever to order food and drink at a diner... and yes, he's drinking coffee. this was not the story i submitted.

Ultimate Frisbee Tournament

clayton asked me if he could post a flier promoting a fundraiser for medical relief missions in honduras. and i said "sure! i'll even post it on the blog!" if you like throwing frisbees for a good cause then join clayton and his buddies in the kansas city medical brigade 12:30 saturday afternoon on october 20 for an ultimate frisbee tournament. do it. NOW!

Common Courtesy

Satisfaction

photo courtesy of observando

The Sign Needs a Home

has it been awhile since you bought a homer's coffee mug or a homer's t-shirt? are you wondering if that empty feeling is because you don't have enough homer's memorabilia in your home? breathe easy 'cause we've got another collector's item for you: a homer's sign! this summer's hot spell did a number on one of our signs, so we're giving it away. it is currently residing in the sound booth.

Coffee Joke #2

Q: why did the coffee taste like mud?
A: because it was ground a couple of minutes ago.

Surviving Monday

kinda of a slow day. one of our customers was carrying this book when he walked in so i took a picture. if you read this and want your 30 seconds back, i'm sorry. but if you read this and want double punches toward a free drink, then you're welcome.

The Eve of Coffee Day

no weekend plans? get an early start celebrating coffee day at homer's. tomorrow, coffee drinkers around the world will be sipping their favorite beverage... COFFEE! remember, everyone who reads this blog also gets closer to a free drink.

Mystery Muffler

it's been six days since we discovered a mystery muffler in front of homer's. i predicted that it would "become part of an art display" and now it's hanging from a tree. maybe it will begin migrating like a traveling garden gnome.

Lost and Found

usually when someone forgets something at homer's it's a pair of gloves or a notebook. last week somebody lost a muffler. now i understand how absent minded we all get when we're talking and put something down and then forget about it... but seriously... anybody? anyone? bueller? it may become part of an art display if the owner doesn't claim it soon.

Today's Specials

today at the 80th street homer's you can get a double espresso or a 16 oz. coffee for one dollar! why are we doing this? it's all part of homer's joining other coffeehouses, cafés, and restaurants to celebrate specialty coffee week. follow us on twitter, facebook, or here for daily specials. and don't forget about double punches!

Coffee Joke #1

can't believe we haven't done this already, but here's the FIRST coffee joke:
Q: what did the coffee say to the filter?
A: you're putting a strain on our relationship

Caffeinate!

there are alot of doctor who geeks at homer's who will get the joke on this tee. i'll admit it, i'm one of them. and if i don't buy this t-shirt, one of them will.
caffeinated dalek by david cedillo jr

Art @ Homer's

sometimes customers ask "how can i get my artwork displayed at homer's?" i usually refer them to one of the managers. although if you are an artist who just happens to work at homer's, you kind of have an inside track. this month's artist is kelly dooley. she works the opening shift at homer's and knows most of her customers by name.

Bacon Flavored Coffee

brace yourselves. the next couple of sentences may change your life. if you don't have time to drink coffee AND eat bacon on a daily basis, that is no longer a problem. thanks to a winning entry in the iowa state fair you can down both things in one gulp. here's the story of one woman's goal to combine two breakfast staples into one morning-tastic drink.

Red Bridge Homer's Patio

here's another pic from homer's on red bridge and holmes. there is PLENTY of covered patio space for customers who prefer to be outdoors. i can't wait to sip a cup of coffee on this patio when it's cool and raining.

Seeing is Believing

a couple of weeks ago i made a post about the second homer's location on red bridge and holmes, but i didn't have any photos. i stopped by the new place last saturday on my way back from the east side of town, and i liked what i saw: a clean coffeehouse with an awesome patio.

Jonathan Swift

jonathan swift is the answer to yesterday's "who said that?" blog post. his literary works include: gulliver's travels, a modest proposal, and a journal to stella. follow this blog for more coffee trivia and remember to tell a barista what you read and get double punches toward a free drink.

Coffee Quote Resurrection

it's been a LONG time since we posted a coffee quote, so we're bringing it back.

"a fig for partridges and quails

ye dainties i know nothing of ye

but on the highest mount in wales

would choose in peace to drink my coffee"

do you know who said it?

Voíla

just in case you couldn't find him two days ago, here is the man in the coffee beans:

The Coffee Bean Man

a customer recently told me that he preferred reading blog posts with coffee trivia, so buddy this one's for you: can you find the man in the coffee beans? remember, everyone who reads the blog gets a little something for the effort.