Trade and Lore, Asheville, NC

7 Wall St, Asheville, NC 28801

I've said it once, I'll say it a hundred times; coffee is about community. It's about the community that brews it and the people who sit around old pine tables to drink it. I love coffee itself, but I'd be lying to you if I said that it's my favorite part. I enjoy hearing the stories of the brave souls who put everything on the line to open up a store. Or hearing from the baristas who have a serious love for refined coffee brewing methods. But I also absolutely love the people I meet through writing about coffee shops. A few of these lovely people told me that 

Trade and Lore is a must-visit. So obviously, I went.

It took us a minute to find the coffee shop; it's nestled on a street barred off from cars and next to a fairly steep staircase. At first, we walked right past it because it's tucked back away from the street. 

I ordered myself a cappuccino and oatmeal. The oatmeal was fairly par for the course, but I'd say the coffee was pretty dang good. The beans are sourced from Mountain Air Roasting, a company that does micro-roasting of single-origin coffee. Mountain Air is really big on roasting fresh coffees from East Africa and the Americas that are commonly characterized as bright and sweet. I tried asking the baristas more about the coffee sourcing at the shop, but I think my 8 AM Sunday morning inquiries were too much for the baristas to handle :D They didn't quite seem in the mood to talk.

Sticking with the theme of community coffee -- Trade and Lore sources their goodness from a number of local folks. Baked Goods from Owl Bakery, Joey's NY Bagels brings in...well...bagels, and milk from Wholesale Country Cremeries -- just to name a few.

The inside is fairly dim -- wonderfully rich red and pink brick walls close the space in. White accents compliment the dark tables. Lights hang high above the space. It's an ideal place to visit on a gray and rainy day.