Phoenix Coffee Opening October 14th on Residential Row in the Warehouse District

Prepare to be stirred at Phoenix Coffee's newest location, 1300 W. 9th St. in Downtown Cleveland. The store, which opens at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, October 14th, will exclusively serve French Press coffee, a bold and rich alternative to traditional auto-drip coffee. This won't be your regular grab-and-go cup of joe. Phoenix Coffee's French Press brews will take customers on an exotic journey to new aromas and flavors. It's an experience that Clevelanders can readily embrace in the cosmopolitan, yet comfortable, environment of the West 9th Street store.

"Customers can close their eyes, take a sip and imagine they're in Portland or San Francisco, then look around and enjoy the friendly, real, Cleveland-style personalities at Phoenix Coffee," said Sarah Wilson-Jones, CEO and "Superbarista" of Phoenix Coffee.

Local aficionados are ready for this unique coffee experience, Wilson-Jones added. "I think the cosmopolitan customer base around the West 9th Street area will appreciate being able to get French Press coffee on a regular basis, and will be willing to pay slightly more for such a distinctive product."

When it comes to French Press coffee, the difference is in the brewing process. Coffee grounds are in direct contact with the brewing water for about five minutes, and are then filtered through a mesh press, rather than a paper filter. "The coffee retains its natural oils, which are usually trapped in the paper filter," explained Liz Gelehrter, manager of the West 9th Street store. "This makes for a better, richer cup of coffee."

French Press coffee is meant to be enjoyed fresh and at an unhurried pace, which is why the West 9th Street store will offer cozy retro chairs where customers can savor their drinks and perhaps listen to a local band playing on the coffeehouse stage.

The new Phoenix Coffee location will also serve Melitta- style manual-drip coffee so customers can sample any of the store's exotic single-source varietals or artisan- blended coffees. Once customers sample a new variety of coffee by the cup, they're more likely to purchase a pound and brew it at home, according to Wilson-Jones.

Both the French Press and Melitta offerings will encourage customers to view coffee as an exploration, rather than simply as a daily necessity, Wilson-Jones added.

To promote the grand opening, and to support an eco- friendly community, the West 9th Street store will be giving away free coffee mugs on the first day of business. Customers of Phoenix Coffee's five other area locations are encouraged to bring their own mugs on October 14th as well. The goal is to not use disposable cups at any Phoenix Coffee store on that day.