dakegra | Writer's Block: Shops Gone By

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McCoy's Coffee, in Leeds.

My first real experience of a 'proper' coffee shop, dating back to the early nineties - before the days of the ubiquitous Starbucks, Costa Coffee or Caffe Nero.

McCoy's occupied what is now Costa Coffee on Albion Place in Leeds. They were an independent (as far as I know) and had an actual coffee roasting machine by the door as you walked in, and if you timed it right so they were roasting a batch the smell was just *heavenly*.

*blisses out on memory*

Huge cups for your cappucinos, friendly staff who would happily chat to you about coffee, nommy biscotti. And freshly roasted beans, obviously.

Basically,

dakegra heaven. I still have two of their large mugs at home - tall, skinnier than those in Starbucks, with big handles. I miss them, and if I were to open a coffee shop, it would be like that.