Factory Coffee (Downtown)
205 W. Lovell StreetIt’s cold out, ya’ll. Like, really cold.
I came in to work earlier this week hungry and cold. I really contemplated stopping at Sweetwaters for a donut but I wasn’t in a donut mood. A bagel and a hot chocolate really sounded much better.
I work downtown near the courthouse and once I parked and started walking towards the building, the wanting of a hot chocolate really kicked in. I can see a coffee shop just down the street so I took a hard left to get what I was craving.
Factory Coffee’s downtown location is on the corner of Lovell and Rose Street in the fairly new 400 Rose apartment building. This is Factory’s second stand alone location in town. The original is in the Northside Neighborhood on Fulford Street. The downtown location opened up last summer and takes up the bottom floor of a mixed use development in the Vine Neighborhood.
The space is pretty large and pretty open. There is a large order counter right as you walk in the door from the Rose Street Street side. It’s a pretty typical coffee shop layout. There is some seating at a bar next to the barista station. There are also a number of tables which were filled with people getting some late morning work done while enjoying their coffee.
I never could find a menu online but I assumed they had some sort of food because the Fulford Street location has some options. There is a menu right next to the cash register with their options. It’s lighter, grab and go type stuff. I found a bagel sandwich right away when I glanced at the menu so I didn’t really go much farther than that.
I ordered The Classic Bagel sandwich with bacon and cheddar cheese plus a hot chocolate to drink. The cost was about $14 before tip.
I took a seat at a nearby table to wait. The hot chocolate came out first. The barista made that then set it on the counter and told me it was ready. I like coffee shop hot chocolate because they don’t make it burn your mouth hot. The drink was still warm enough to provide that warming comfort feeling but I didn’t fry my tongue every time I took a sip.
A few minutes later, I heard a number called from around the corner and looked up to see another person come out of the back with a sandwich in hand. I looked at the receipt and realized there was a number on it and it was the number that was just called out. I grabbed the sandwich, stuck it in my coat pocket, and headed back to the office.
I chose an Asiago bagel that was filled with eggs, crispy bacon and melted cheddar cheese. The sandwich is simple but it’s such a breakfast staple. When done right, there’s no better way to start a morning on the go. This one is done right. I really thought about walking back and getting another one. The bagel is soft yet toasted just enough that there’s a little bit of a crunch to it.
I wanted a hot chocolate and a breakfast sandwich and Factory Coffee delivered. If I was a coffee drinker, I’d make the walk down there more often. Now that I know they have sandwiches, I’ll probably walk down there more often anyway. This is another great place downtown if you work in one of the office buildings or live in the area…..or if you just want a great spot to work on that screenplay.
SW Michigan Dining 