Indie-Pendence from the Mermaid: Indie Coffee Shops

Often, independent artists and artisans toil for long hours - either at their chosen craft or at another more lucrative endeavor that allows them to then in their "free time" pursue their creative work.

Sometimes this makes us sleepy.

Studies have shown that coffee is good at making you feel less sleepy.

In the spirit of indie-pendence, here are a few notable non-multinational purveyors of the bean:

• Across the street from Brooklyn Indie Market,The Fall Café is a friendly venue with good snacks and comfy chairs.
• Not quite a huge many-tentacled entity, Joe has four locations in Manhattan - I frequent the one at 9 East 13 Street - and they make a superb latte.
• With two locations in the inner borough, Jack's boasts a proprietary stir-brew process that makes a rad beverage. Its 222 Front St location feels like somebody's log cabin, in a good way.
• While I have not been there myself, I hear good things about Café Grumpy, which has a location in Greenpoint and one in Chelsea. Their Hearts and Crafts fairs bring together crafters and coffee for fun and profit.
• Lula Bean on in Williamsburg boasts a cute and homelike atmosphere.
• Klatch offers respite from the corporateness if the Financial District.
• Bread Stuy on Lewis Avenue tempts you to have a little cake with your coffee.
  
• Westchester-ites need their brew too: in Tarrytown, head to Coffee Labs (think puppies, not scientists) for the good stuff; Peekskill you say? Try the Peekskill Coffee House. Croton-on-Hudson? Really? Ok- The Black Cow.
• For the coffee-loving cinephile, The Archive in Bushwick has both rad flicks and sweet beans.
  
• On the corner of Fifth Avenue and Park Place in Park Slope, Gorilla Coffee roasts their own fair trade beans. Now that's indie-pendent.
  

-MaryAnne
wabisabi brooklyn
wabisabibrooklyn.etsy.com