Three elderly ladies are seated at a nearby table, sipping mugs of coffee, nibbling on scones, and discussing the merits of lesfe and meatballs. Hannah, one of the baristas, casually greets one, “Peggy, good to see you! It 's been a while.” Others, like the college age girl hidden in the corner, take advantage of the relaxed atmosphere to get some work done. Her eyes are fixated on the PowerPoint she is viewing about the Nervous System, her pencil scribbling at furious rate. Only occasionally does she pause to sip her coffee. In addition to the never ending chatter of customers, the humming of milk steamers, the low thuds of coolers opening and closing, the squeaking of the front door hinges, the tapping of the baristas dumping used grounds, and the high pitched ding of the cash registers, a mix of alternative music softly plays in the background. There is also the occasional interruption of the phone which never gets a chance to ring more than once; the energetic workers are quick to answer it. It is ten o 'clock on a Saturday morning, and the coffee shop is waking up. A woman enters and strolls up to the counter. “I 'd like a medium mocha,” she states. “Whip on that?” the barista …show more content…
Across the courtyard behind the shop are two small rooms. No lights are on and there doesn 't appear to be much action occurring; looks can be deceiving. It is in these rooms that the real magic of Stonehouse happens. In the roasting room are several giant roasters that produce the coffee made at stonehouse. In the center of the room sit bags of unroasted green coffee beans, waiting to be transformed into the delicious material that Stonehouse is known for. The other room also plays an integral role. A sign on the door gives a hint to what it contains. It shows a picture of a stonehouse scone and reads, “Voted best in America.” It is hard to argue. The Stonehouse scones are nearly as popular as the coffee and understandably so. Rich, moist, creamy, and dusted with a coating of white sugar, they are displayed in the a little case by the cash register, making it hard for any customer to resist the temptation. Today 's flavors are peach-almond, strawberry-raspberry, and maple-bacon; all three are