Four Star

Have you ever had a favorite place? One that felt like a home away from home? You knew when you walked in the door that it would never let you down? For me this place was Four Star Coffee Bar. I remember the first time I heard about it. I was fifteen and this was back in the day when there wasn't a Starbucks on every corner. I come from a long line of coffee drinkers so I was intrigued at the idea of a coffee shop but what sold me on a maiden trip was a rumor that a guy who played on the latest album of my favorite band (not local, mind you) was working behind the bar.

It was large but felt homey. Every table in the joint was hand painted by a different local artist bearing 'Dear John' letters and card games in progress. It had a reading room full of plush worn seats and an eclectic collection of books that always called my name. A large coffee roaster that sat in the back corner. If you came in on the right day (or wrong day) you would be met at the door by a plume of smoke as someone sat by that roaster creating an oh-so-tasty bean. A shelf of board games and a wall of glass jars filled with tea leaves and coffee beans. One of my favorite pieces was mounted on the wall behind the bar. A dark cherry case of shelves that housed the coffee mugs of the regulars and now hangs mounted in my kitchen holding my collection.

The food was delicious and the coffee even better. I loved when my friend Michelle and I became regulars on Wednesday nights and the barista Brett (or would it be baristo since he was male?) would have our drinks ready before we even made it up to the counter. So many nights were spent there doing homework, playing cards, or just enjoying a chat over an italian soda. I applied for a job there when I was 16 or 17 but didn't get an interview. Guess I wasn't the right kind of tree*. When I was 21 and in need of a second job Four Star seemed like a perfect fit. I could work on weekends and it was close to my current abode. I called and got an interview with a guy named Graham who was the current manager (& who sounded very cute on the phone). When I arrived later that afternoon I was surprised to see a girl that I'd hung out with in middle school come out of the kitchen and introduce herself as the owner. I knew Bonnie, the original owner, had sold it but didn't know to whom. They were getting some last minute things together for Graham's brother's wedding so my interview was rushed but I got the job.

I spent many Friday and Saturday nights behind the bar that summer, meeting all kinds of interesting people. The 'westsiders', the recovering alcoholics who'd traded one bar stool for another, the smarmy old men who'd make inappropriate jokes when I was in earshot, and the regular groups from nearby churches. I remember thinking I could work here forever - though the pay wouldn't buy my dream house, I really enjoyed the work, and the regulars (most of them anyway). There's so much more I could tell you about that summer but that's for another day.

A week ago my dad and my husband (that hottie Graham I mentioned before :) ) became the owners of Four Star. It has since moved downtown and the concept has become a little more food focused. The regulars are now XTO employees and other downtown workers. They close at 3 and there's no live music on the weekends, in fact they aren't even open on weekends typically. It's a different place with a different feel but it's ours. It's something Graham and I have talked about for ages but the timing was never right. And for whatever reason, this time, God saw fit to let us have this blessing. It's had it's hiccups for sure but the road that lies ahead is nothing short of exciting. The first week was SUPER crazy with a huge convention in town. Dad took off work and helped out everyday, worked like a dog. I came in to help a few days and ended the week with swollen ankles, but happy.

It makes me a little sad to know the original place I fell in love with will probably never exist again, (and increased by the fact that I couldn't find a picture of the old location's interior online - Isn't this the digital age?) but who knew way back when what this little coffee shop would become for me, for us. I'm a very blessed girl.



*This was one of the first job applications I ever filled out and for sure the first one that asked me what kind of tree I would consider myself.