2008 Woodie Awards
Traipsing Around Town: Experience Art, Mystery and Intrigue at Spyhouse Coffee Shop
By: Taylor Uggla, Features Editor
Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: Features
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Colorful paintings by local artists line the brick walls of the shop and from the ceilings hang vintage lamps, the most striking incorporating rich hues of melon and rose. The counter is placed in the middle of the space, and crowded all around it are house plants, chrome tables, green plastic chairs and sofas. Trying to find a seat is like walking through a maze, and I never actually found a legitimate one when I was there.
However, I didn't really mind sitting squeezed between strangers. I had to balance my meal on my knees, and each time someone walked by I feared my coffee mug would fall from its precarious perch on the arm of the sofa, but for me it only added to Spyhouse's charm. After all, people-watching resides at the top of my list of fun things to do, and this coffee shop provides endless opportunities for observation.
When I first arrived I saw a couple dressed all in black and holding hands walk out the door, looking like they'd just stepped out of a Jack Kerouac novel. Students and older customers alike sat around stuffed in turtlenecks and tall boots, typing away on laptops, writing in notepads and carrying on animated conversation. A passionate game of chess was being held at the counter by two weathered men, and the counter boy's hair sat on his head so large and uncontrollable that I found myself unable to look away. He kind of looked like a cooler version of Napoleon Dynamite. I think I could have literally sat there for hours and been content with nothing to do but look around.
Of course, enjoying items from the menu wasn't all bad either, although I do have to warn you that customers aren't the only intriguing aspect of the place. When I went to Spyhouse, I ordered the hummus plate and a bowl of soup. Both were delicious, but interestingly enough I was never told the flavor of the latter. "Well, it's a vegan soup," the counter boy said. "It's good, you know." He offered me no more information, but since I was starving I decided to try it. It came in a big white bowl, steaming and chunky in texture. Curry-like with a hint of spice, it was both sweet and tart. My date and I loved it, and it became a fun little mystery-soup experience.
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