When spring comes to Middletown, patio furniture appears on the sidewalk outside the big pink tower of doom on Court street. I’ve been going to Klekolo world coffee for 5 years, and in that time they’ve raised their prices twice, both times reluctantly. I’ve been going to Klekolo for five years now, and I can count the Wesleyan students I’ve seen there on one and a half hands. It’s perched just on the edge of our points-bubble, next to (indeed, inside the parking lot of) that big pink sky-blight of an insurance tower on Court St., but it gets sadly little foot traffic from our like – a damned shame considering it has the best coffee (and, I would argue, the best atmosphere) in Middletown. Sure, if you’re pining for a Starbucks and all the bland scorchmouthed caramel crappucinos that implies, you can go down a block or so and patronize Javapalooza (which, I’m told, was founded by several ex-managers from the Seattle-based money-vampirizing mermaid herself) but you’d be making a mistake. Klekolo’s is awesome, but I’m not going to lie, there are homeless people there… And “juvenile delinquents.” And “crazy people.” But there are also EMTs, cops, firemen, businesspeople, Professors, traveling musicians and artists. They don’t take shit from anyone, but they treat everyone with a degree of respect. If Swamp Thing wanted a double short shot in a heated ceramic demitasse, he’d get it without a batted eyelash. They source coffee from 3-5 different roasters, ensuring that only the best beans (of which most are fair-trade and organic) from each are represented. They’ve been in business for 16 years, and in the time I’ve been here have raised prices only twice – and even then reluctantly. It is incredibly hard for small, uncompromising businesses to stay afloat in this foul economic climate, and I would absolutely hate to see this place go. It’s valuble not just as a place to get jittered-to-the-gills in relative peace, but as a community hub, a place to go when there is nowhere else, and a bastion of randomness in a town cancerous with order. (Plus, their ice cubes are made out of coffee.)
Klekolo World Coffee: A CaffeineCrystalDiamond in the Rough
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4 responses to “Klekolo World Coffee: A CaffeineCrystalDiamond in the Rough”
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As an undergraduate, I patronized Klekolo’s at least once a day. After graduating in 2002 and traveling pretty much around the world, I was a little reluctant to return to Middletown when my husband decided to come back for his MA/PhD at Wesleyan, but knew that, in addition to many unique opportunities and places of interest, Middletown has Klekolo’s. Please support Klekolo’s. Every future Wesleyan student should have the opportunity to get not just a decent, but a fantastic cup of coffee during their tenure here.
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I’d argue that the crazies and delinquents add to the atmosphere.. besides the usually hang out across the street and stay out of the way. And frankly the homeless folks there are generally really friendly, helpful, and really really smart.
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No better place in Middletown or the surrounding towns for that matter to get whatever coffee related beverage you love most.
Being a longtime Middletown resident, I have been going to Klekolo since it turned 2 years old. Over that long stretch of time Klekolo and the world has certainly changed… but you can always count on an iced mocha latte or drip brewed ethiopan mocha harrar to brighten your day.
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good piece and no argument here Klekolo is the absolute best, numero uno, top quality. Javapawhooza is disgusting. anyway, not to nitpick, but I really dont get the very last thing you wrote ” a bastion of randomness in a town cancerous with order” . What do you mean that Middletown is cancerous with order? Weird phrase, and I disagree. Thank you.
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