“Coffee Time Downtown”

By

Gerry Niskern

How old were you when you had your first cup of coffee? You know, that forbidden drink that wasn’t good for you. Why, the caffeine would stunt your growth!

The brew we know as coffee has been around prior to 1000 A. D. In fact, the world’s first coffee shop actually opened in Constantinople in 1475. Back then, the Turkish law actually made it legal for a woman to divorce her husband if he failed to provide her with her daily quota of coffee.

Throughout the settling of the West, coffee provided people with their morning wake up call.  The farmers, cattlemen, prospectors and miners in Arizona bought their coffee in the whole berry form. Most groceries kept their coffee under the names of the countries in which it was grown. The bins containing the various berries were marked Java, Rio, Santos, Jamaica, Sumatra and so on.  The early settlers could smell and taste and make their choice. Some even carried the green berries, which you could roast at home to suit yourself.

The first activity in the morning in homes in early Phoenix, after the fire was built, was getting out the coffee grinder, filling the old black coffee pot with water and Arbuckle’s Ariosa ground coffee, for years the most popular brand around.  Of course, after it boiled a while, they threw in a couple of eggshells to settle the grounds.

In 1859, packaged Arbuckle’s sold for 15 cents a pound. For many years coupons for premiums came in the packages. The most popular item redeemed for the coupons by the cowboys in the West was wedding rings.

Many times coffee was used as a medium of exchange instead of money. The Indians of Arizona frequently buried a package of Arbuckle’s Ariosa with their dead to sustain them in the happy hunting grounds.

In the l920’s Arbuckle’s sold out to the General Foods Corporation, but as late as the l940’s the grocers in Phoenix, such as A J Bayless and Bashas were still selling the Arbuckles brand.

As early as the l920’s Phoenix Union High kids were hanging out at a place called the Coffee Pot.   That establishment, shaped like a giant coffee pot, was located at 7^th street and Mc Dowell. It was still in business in the l940s.  The coffee was hot, strong and guaranteed to keep you awake during afternoon Geometry class.

Long time residents will remember Donofrios on  Central where the office girls working downtown went for their morning coffee break; before businesses started having their own coffee machines in the office.  Many a business deal was sealed at Googies on the Northeast corner of Central Avenue and E. Van Buren. And of course, the state workers from the Capitol building enjoyed strolling over to Capitol Drugstore on the corner of Jefferson and 17^th Ave for their coffee breaks.

In downtown Phoenix today, the kids from Central high and Brophy go North to AJ’s for their designer coffee drinks to help  them face afternoon Latin class.

And of course, AJs Central location is perfect for the most important cup of all.  The traditional “get acquainted” coffee date to check out the new Internet acquaintance. Does the trick every time!