PVCC Puma Press: April 2006

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	Photo by Janice L. Semmel
	Meteorologist Ed Phillips and his wife, Anne, relax in one of the comfortable chairs at their weather-themed coffee shop and Internet cafe, Weather & Coffee.
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Weather & Coffee, a weather-themed coffee shop and Internet café located in Phoenix at the juncture of Bell Road and I-51, offers students a homey place to enjoy a beverage, surf the Internet, chat, study or just relax and watch The Weather Channel or CNN on one of two 42-inch color TVs.

For busy students on their way to school, work or home, owners Anne and Ed Phillips suggest calling ahead at (602) 485-JAVA (5282) to place orders and save time at the drive-up window. For long days at PVCC, Weather & Coffee delivers orders of $15 or more between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in their local area or by special reservation, and Anne says, “We cater sack lunches.”

Valley meteorologist Ed Phillips and his wife, Anne, opened the café in August 2005. Ed describes Anne as a “recovering criminal defense attorney.” He says that when she told him in December 2004 that she could no longer continue as an attorney, they decided to polish up their business plan and search for a property for the weather-themed business they had talked about starting for years.

A friend told them about a vacant coffee shop, so they acquired the property and turned it into Weather & Coffee. Anne says, “The fixtures were here, but we proceeded to do a… remodel to make it our own.”

Patrons of the café open the door to the scent of freshly brewing coffee. Natural light streams in the front windows to illuminate the full-length ceiling and wall mural of a blue sky complete with clouds and yellow sunshine. Lightning bolts streak down the west wall into a decorative rock wall that extends halfway up the length of the café. Ed explains that the rock wall adds a touch of Arizona.

Anne and Ed planned the café’s atmosphere and chose the tables and chairs so business people could come in and have meetings or work and students could study. The free Wi-Fi service affords patrons an opportunity to work on their laptops while enjoying a brew or watching TV.

Patrons can reserve and rent Weather & Coffee after hours for business meetings or parties for as many as 25-30 people. Power Point Presentations can be made on the 42 inch TV screen, and patrons have access to their own barista.

Patrons order at the counter or the drive-up window from the large daily menu, which includes a variety of hot or cold coffee and espresso, hot and cold tea, lattes, Italian sodas, smoothies and other beverages plus bakery selections and sandwiches. In addition, Weather & Coffee offers the following specialty items:

• Whole bean or ground coffee by the half or full pound;

• Bulk tea or herbal tea by the half or full pound;

• Insulated 16 ounce travel mug with unlimited 99 cent brewed coffee refills;

• Gift baskets made to order;

• Gift certificates;

• “Crisis in the Atmosphere” by Ed Phillips; and

• “Ed Phillips Arizona Almanac” free with a purchase.

Ed says, “Our brew is the best in town, and it’s not burnt.”

For a year before the café opened, Anne and Ed experimented in their kitchen with different coffee beans and blends of coffee beans. Ed says, “After 15 tries, we got our unique blend. Our coffee is blended for Western tastes.”

Patrons save 15 percent on drinks by showing a valid AAA card. Weather & Coffee also offers a Weather & Coffee Club Card. Ed says, “We have double stamp day on Monday for the Weather & Coffee Club Card. If you buy 10 drinks, you get the 11th drink free.”

Beverage prices range from $1.50 for a hot, 12 ounce brewed coffee to $4.50 for a 32 ounce frozen latte. Bakery specials range in price from $1.50 for a bagel with cream cheese, butter or peanut butter and jelly to $3 for a muffin or a Sunshine Special consisting of a 24 ounce brew and a cinnamon roll. Made-to-order sandwiches include a breakfast sandwich for $3; Mojo Pie, an Australian special, made of ham or steak baked with egg and cheese in a flaky crust for $3.99; or a lunch sandwich with a pickle and chips for $5.95.

Longtime patron Darren Dankert visits Weather & Coffee at least twice a week. He enjoys the weather theme. He says, “I love the atmosphere and the friendly people.”

Dankert, who lives at 40th Street and Cactus, comes to the drive-up window to get his coffee and then goes downtown to work. Occasionally, he stops by to work on his laptop or chat and order a mocha frozen blended.

Weather & Coffee hours are Mon.-Fri., 6 a.m.-2 p.m. and Sat.-Sun., 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Its Web site at http://www.weatherandcoffee.com lists events, coupon savings and additional information.