Get fresh coffee at Espresso 77, Jackson Heights (Pic Courtesy: Espresso 77)
Quirky is a word that gets thrown about quite a bit when talking about New York coffee shops.
But when you’re a slice of bohemian cool in a market place hemmed in by Indian purveyors of samosas, curries and kababs —the aura of a shop’s froths transforms an ordinary cup o’ joe into something outside the ordinary.
The quirky aura sits well with Espresso 77, a coffee shop in Jackson Heights — on 77th Street, of course.
The cafe was set up by Afzal Hussein in a unique location, away from the main bustle of Jackson Heights’ uber-commercial 74th Street.
Hussein has the look of a man who’s seen many capitulate to the smell and taste of coffee. “Not everybody likes Indian food,” Hussein says, referring to the multitude of South Asian food joints on 74th Street. “But coffee? Everybody loves coffee.”
An architect by training, Hussein left his Manhattan firm in 2006 to pursue his dream of owning a coffee shop. Buying the small storefront, he and wife, Julie, set about doing the interior. “It’s all about presentation,” Hussein says, comparing his coffee shop’s ambience with other establishments in the area.
He says he finds other restaurants’ interiors too bare — with an undue, though some would say necessary, emphasis on people getting in, eating and leaving.
Hussein set about creating a business model that aspires to be the antithesis of a Jackson Diner, as well as Starbucks. “We want them to linger,” he said. “We want the bohemia of the 50s and 60’s of the Village, right here in Jackson Heights.”
As Hussein speaks, a longtime customer, Conrad Stogel, ambles outside to sit on the coffee shop’s bench and sip a hot chocolate he just bought inside. “I get so stressed out at work,” Stogel said, “I look forward to coming here to unwind.”
Inside, web designer Matt Mentz hunches over his laptop. He likes hanging out at Espresso 77 because he feels it is not a “get up and get out” place. “I can actually drink my coffee without people hating me for staying,” Mentz said.
Mentz’s feelings resonate with several Jackson Heights’ residents, who find the cafe a watering hole of sorts. Neighbors catch up outside, friends gossip inside. “The street outside was dead earlier. Now, there’s more foot traffic,” Hussein said. “People meet, greet and stay to talk.”
Each month, Espresso 77 also provides a venue for neighborhood musicians to play, for artists to show their work and for parents to encourage the seemingly lost art of reading books. Even the bathroom was turned over to a local artist who covered the tiny space with brushstrokes.
“People are always looking for something special,” Hussein says. “And if you want something special, you gotta pay for it.” It’s an attitude that turns away some customers, who wince when they read the prices written on the cafe’s chalkboard. “Then, they go to Starbucks,” Hussein said.
While Hussein has managed to create a successful local brand for himself, he still struggles to increase the volume of his business. Adding new customers in a residential area is his biggest challenge. But Hussein is optimistic about his business’ prospects. “People come from Bushwick, Jamaica, other parts of Queens,” he said. “The taste of my coffee will bring them back.”
