Coffee Camp

By Abisola Mojeed

“Jamaican Me Crazy”, is coffee from Jamaica that seems to be what everyone at 78 Margaret Street is going crazy for. It is within this little art decorated storage place, a community to store your ideas in another function of expression where you can showcase your inner self to the outer world, that makes the Coffee Camp special.

The Coffee Camp is a fairly new establishment started around the time of the 9/11 attacks when, Bevan Brady the current owner’s brother Austin Brady a cameraman who reported one of the most horrific events our generation has ever faced in New York City. Austin felt he needed more from himself “so he packed up his life and his then fiancé, now wife,” Bevan adds. He decided to set up shop in Plattsburgh, where his family resides. But Austin didn’t stick around for long and went back to his career as being a cameraman so he entrusted Bevan, his younger brother, to carry on the torch of the Coffee Camp since the business was doing well. Bevan, who denies having any artistic value, occasionally plays the bass and is the nurturer of the most prominent artists in and around the Plattsburgh area. Ranging from students from the neighboring high school and their poetry slams to housing works from Clayton Smalley and Jessica Minckler. One of Jessica Minckler wonderful art paintings hanging on the wall takes a glimpse into Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken”, and instantly the rush of euphoria takes a hold onto you.

When walking inside of the Coffee Camp and seeing its half brick walls and the rest of them painted earthly green you feel as if you are walking into someone’s home. Couches surround the ‘living room’ area, walking towards the back of the shop where the Kayak is suspended from the ceiling resting slightly on the ledge of the middle of their small attic upstairs as your center of guidance. This is where I met Oliver Holecek, who was surrounded by several friends playing the bongos. Oliver is a sophomore attending Plattsburgh state, who happened “to stumble upon this place” when, “ buying reeds for my Alto Saxophone at the local music store,” he said. Oliver invited me to his room and shows off his tea drinking knowledge by pulling tea from his pockets plus the top compartment of his dresser drawer and begins sharing the difference between white, silver needle to green and orange- red teas. He goes on to say he enjoys the fact “that the Coffee Camp teas and coffee are fair trade.” Oliver is a very fascinating person from his musical talents to his tea and coffee knowledge. He wants, “to start a jazz band and play music there” in the future. So this is where the Coffee Camp fits in as a great place to meet interesting individuals who may or may not share the same views, but have the same taste in delicious tea and coffee, which makes the best conversation starter.

So if you are looking for anything fun to do in the area, Thursday through Saturday are usually the packed event nights where local bands and musicians express their poetic selves at open mic or as just a plan ‘ol D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) show. D.I.Y. shows are typically the most fun because people of all ages come out and it’s the best way to hear local music done under one comfy roof and plus not to forget to mention it’s the Weekend. Don’t get it wrong, Monday through Wednesday are fun too but it usually caters to light hearted activities such as the poetry slams, chess matches and open mic.

If there were not a place like the Coffee Camp where would the locals of Plattsburgh be able to express their minds and their inner thoughts about their selves and their surrounding areas? So, in other words it’s like saying it is ‘A Safe Place’ for young or old, artistic to tea and coffee drinkers to rest and unwind from the outside world. Take in some local music and enjoy the company of the locals while consuming the finest fair trade coffees and teas around.