"The Hill's" Staple Spot, The Station

At 9AM on Monday, the scene transpiring in Beacon Hill's most beloved coffee shop, The Station bewildered newcomers but didn't phase regulars. The owner of The Station, Jose Rodrigues' loud voice and rather uncensored demeanor makes up for his shop's small quarters. The Station being cramped within four confining walls hardly undermines it's popularity within the Beacon Hill community.  While breaking a block of Chocolate Mexicano with his own two hands, Rodrigues' booming voice resonates throughout the shop and can be heard from the street. He knows each person in the shop, but even if that weren't the case, Rodrigues would not cease to yell obscenities across the bar to his fellow employee Florence. 

"They joke with each other all the time" says John Ramos, a daily customer and employee at the community center El Centro De La Raza. "Sometimes we can hear them teasing each other  from the playground," as he raises his finger across the street towards the bright primary colors of the swings, slides, and teeter-totters at El Centro. Despite his intimidating character, Rodrigues devotes his days to crafting fine espresso, making his customers happy, and providing an ideal coffee experience. 

The Station is the mastery of great coffee/food combined with a welcoming staff and exceptional atmosphere. There's nothing worse than a coffee shop that lacks a comfortable space to sit and enjoy a drink, converse with a friend, or just read a book. Often, coffee shops are either too crowded to find a seat or don't have pleasant places for customers to sit. This popular spot in Beacon Hill's mission is to eliminate those problems. Many Beacon Hill residents say that The Station is an excellent addition to the community considering the neighborhood's notorious lack of coffee shops. Located in the hub of the neighborhood, The Station has become a hot spot for Beacon Hill, granting it a greater presence on Seattle's map.

The Station gets its name because of it's close proximity to the Beacon Hill Light Rail station. "If I were to throw a rock, it would most likely hit someone who's getting on the light rail,"says Rodriguez. When he started The Station, Rodriquez's biggest goal was to provide a central place for the community to gather. In order to ensure a great environment for his shop, Rodriguez makes a point to know each of his customers. The shop also provides free wifi, reasonable prices, local art, an eclectic mix of music and a happy hour from 3-7 PM with wine and beer on tap. The Station's most unique feature is the fact that it is dog friendly. Dogs all shapes and sizes are welcome in the cafe.

Not only does The Station have great coffee, but Rodriguez also provides a wide selection of Italian, Latin American, Mexican food, and pastries that his customers rave about. The shop is known for serving great bagel sandwiches, biscuits, and homemade tamales, but The Station is most famous for its authentic Mexican Mocha Latte. 
The cafe also embodies the reoccurring theme of Beacon Hill as a whole, its diversity. In The Stranger, journalist, Charles Mudude is impressed at the ambiance upon his first visit. "The man and woman sitting on the stools by the window spoke with the owner in Spanish. Two middle-aged white women to my left talked about their kids. A black man on my right drank a beer and surfed the web. An Asian man wearing a Peruvian hat walked in and ordered a bowl of porridge." The combination of The Station's openness to diversity with great service and food has earned it a spot on The Stranger's list of Seattle's best restaurants, an article that is conveniently framed upon the wall behind the cafe's bar.  

The Station serves as a community center by taking the idea of involvement to the next level with it's local art. Each month, the shop features different local artist's pieces on the wall above it's central seating area along with the patio in the back. Rodrigues even hosted a contest where members of Beacon Hill submitted original designs to the owner where he picked which one will represent the official logo of The Station. The winner has not yet been revealed.  

Links:

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