On Christmas day Kitsilano’s Momento Coffee House on West 4th at MacDonald got a gift from Jane Armstrong of the Globe & Mail.
In an article titled Indie Cafes perfectly poised to quench coffee aficionados palates, Armstrong writes about the return of independent cafés in a city dominated by Starbucks, Blenz and Second Cup.
In addition to mentioning Wicked, Elysian and 49th Parallel (two of which are in the hunt for Kitsilano’s Best Coffee Shop for 2009), Armstrong singles out our own Momento Coffee House.
David Eade, a part owner of the newly opened Momento Coffee House in Kitsilano, once worked for Starbucks. Mr. Eade, who praised the company for elevating coffee standards, said the Seattle-based chain introduced a soothing consistency to the hit-and-miss café sector. Uniformity in coffee drinks and customer service was the rule of thumb.
But the pendulum inevitably swung the other way and customers began to crave individuality over uniformity, Mr. Eade said, hence the new-found attraction of small cafés.
At Momento Coffee House, the décor is a monument to the return of individuality. A large mural in swirling reds and blues is mounted on the wall, a gift from a local painter.
The furniture and dishes are all used or made from recycled materials, the paper cups are compostable and the light bulbs are low-emission LEDs.
Great to see independent coffee shops thriving in Kitsilano!
Last modified: December 27, 2009
