Are you looking for a way to support local charities? Do you love to drink coffee? At Compass Coffee you can multitask! Located on 647 East Market Street, Compass Coffee is tucked into the side of a church and offers up a great space to study or catch up with friends.
Ambiance
Compass coffee is the perfect place to go if you have a larger group. It is very open and has several tables and couches to relax on. You don’t need to worry about making too much noise because the spacious set up also provides plenty of privacy. The decorations are minimalistic, but still worth a glance. Works from local artists are available for purchase and employees even have some fun posting polaroids of themselves and their customers on a wire photo display. On one wall there is a giant calendar of events hosted at Compass. Some of their events this October include an open mic on the 15th and different home repair classes on the 9th and 23rd. Also, like any good coffee shop, there is a game section with a variety of board games to enjoy. My pick from the lot? Battleship!
Service
A friendly barista named Elise helped me while I was there. She was happy to answer my questions and seemed to care deeply about the shop’s mission. Compass coffee is partnered with The Well CDC. This organization strives to “work with like-minded partners to create affordable housing, a thriving economy, and place-making initiatives, while reinvesting worth, value, and dignity back into the individual lives and social health of the neighborhoods of Akron. Rebuilding community through relationships.” In short, The Well seeks to instill a sense of community pride by encouraging the residents to have a hand in neighborhood development. This is where the home repair classes play a role. This month, you can learn how to repair a faucet and a toilet!
Drinks
The menu isn’t huge, but there are lots of great options. You can’t go wrong with the staple drinks like a white mocha or london fog. If you want to try something different, the campfire mocha or rosemary latte seem very promising. The vanilla cinnamon cold brew tastes like the first day of fall and according to an avid hot chocolate drinker, their hot chocolate is the best of the best. If you like to enjoy coffee with a dessert, try bringing your own as there aren’t many foods/desserts to choose from.
What’s better than a cup of coffee? A cup of coffee with a purpose. Unlike visits to corporate stores, you can feel good about your Compass Coffee purchase sip by sip. Only a few minutes from campus, this mission driven shop will keep you coming back for more.