Charlie's Coffee Bar & Gallery in Richmond, Indiana

In recent years Indiana has been hit really badly by the recession in its mostly industrial economy, and this fact is all too evident in Indiana's smaller towns. You can see block after block of beautiful (albeit dilapidated) red brick buildings that once teemed with the throngs of heavy foot traffic. In the heyday of the industrial revolution, these towns wielded cutting edge technologies such as telephones, automobiles, and electricity. In these smaller towns, large factories wove power into the dreams of a young industrial-era America.

I recently went on a quick business trip to one such small town: Richmond, Indiana.

In its prime, Richmond was home to jazz music in the formative years, with thanks to recording studio Gennett Records who hosted such names as The New Orleans Rhythm Kings, Bix Beiderbecke, "King" Joe Oliver's band featuring a young Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael, and others.

THE EXCUSE

I expected to be in and out within a short time. I turned off of Interstate 70 onto the 27 and headed north. After finishing my business downtown, I headed back south again. It was morning. So a hunt for breakfast was on my plate, so to speak. It didn't take me long to see what I was looking for: on the side of the road was a old marquee style sign declaring a café with drinks and eats of undisclosed quality. Judging the looks of the marquee, I thought I was in for another greasy-spoon affair, complete with runny eggs and white toast dripping with butter. I was in a town I had never visited before, I was hungry, and (most importantly) the challenge of new discovery was screaming in my ear.

I turned off and was soon to uncover a delightful find, of a surprisingly much higher quality than the marquee would lead one to believe.

DICSOVERY

I kept my eyes peeled for the greasy spoon café I expected. Instead I ran across a few more red brick factories, one of them with ample parking space, home to a sign bearing the name Charlie's Coffee Bar & Gallery.

AMBIENCE

The first thing one notices when walking into Charlie's for the first time is the front door. It seems like it's 200 feet wide, just as tall, and weighs perhaps 200 tons also. Originally a hardware warehouse, the place was built like Fort Knox. Upon leaning through the doors, you breathe in the look and feel of solid wood and redbrick. Across a broad floor space bedecked with loads of seating and tables, a large chalk-written menu greets you with a myriad of flavors. The subdued colors of aged redbrick (some hand-painted) provided a backdrop for the bright colors of paintings and posters of Charlie Chaplin (from which the café derives its name and décor) and contemporaries of his era.

The coffee bar floats in an ethereal swath of sunlight (during the day) filtering through a light channel poking through the industrial insulation of the ceiling. Stocked with plethora of drinkables and flavorings, your barista stands at-the-ready to whip out your favorite potable.

To the left is a small wooden platform for performers, who frequent Charlie's evening calendar with varied an delightful entertainment. To left is more seating, and small rooms for offices (one of which is an attorney), should you have the compulsion to open your own business. An oversized industrial elevator has been redone as a cozy separate room, providing some privacy and quiet where you can curl up with a favorite book and read by the morning light filtering through an adjacent window. Overall, the tone of a cozy and warm atmosphere.

ENTRÉE

As promised, I was hungry that morning. I looked at the menu and saw much of the fare named after period movie pieces - names such as The Maltese Chicken, Herbie's Veggiemobile, and the Velvet Elvis. At the barista's behest, I special ordered a breakfast bagel with bacon, egg with some lightly grilled cheese (not on the menu, made as a special just for me) - to be washed down with an iced latte. Just what I needed.

I consumed this fare with gusto (loved it) as I opened my laptop to access their free wireless internet to hack out a few errant messages to my many correspondents. In a few moments I was sufficiently nourished and caffeinated for the drive back to Indy.

On the way back, I was thinking: if I was a weekend motorcycle enthusiast, Charlie's would be the place to bring my sidekick (in this case, my Amazon parrot, Chico, who loves to go out driving and hiking) and a whole load of friends for breakfast and some java before hitting the open road. Well, I guess the county hygiene code would require Chico to stay outside to guard the door. But I'd definitely bring some human friends hungering for some great java and a very comfy ambience.

When going to visit Charlie's, don't forget to go upstairs to visit the art gallery and chill out in the higher climes of the second floor.

Visit Charlie's website here, and don't forget to bring loads of friends when you go. Details:

Charlie's Coffee Bar & Gallery
416 North 10th Street< click for a map
Richmond, IN 47374
Phone: 765-966-4874
E-mail: charlie@charliescoffeebar.com

Have fun!

- John

(Hey! Read my other articles here. )

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Melendez worked several years in Hong Kong and Shanghai for A/S Det Østasiatiske Kompagni (EAC), a Danish trade company with offices worldwide. John served as Regional Manager for a EAC's cargo transport JV established with Beijing City Planning Commission.

Recently John has written computer and educational books for some of the world's largest software providers and IT education companies. Former Managing Editor for Computer Associates' Windows Tips & Secrets, a monthly technology newsletter with a circulation of 35,000 subscribers, John now wears two hats as a technical writer and industrial consultant for Cibola International. His knowledge specialties include: business with China; biodiesel centrifuges; and overseas procurement of industrial goods.

An alumnus of the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Chinese Studies, John speaks, reads and writes Mandarin Chinese, German, and English. John telecommutes from Phoenix, Indianapolis and mainland China.

Read John's other articles at: http://www.associatedcontent.com/johnmelendez

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