As of September 30th, downtown Madison has introduced yet another coffee shop. With Sunday Motor Co., Starbucks, Dunkin, and so many more, there’s much to compete for. With the opening of Bad Ass Coffee, Madison community members have been asking, what’s so different about this new shop?
Full name, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii, first originated back in 1989. It started along the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. Bad Ass Coffee’s goal is to share American-grown, premium Hawaiian coffee from Kauai, Waialua (Oahu), Maui, and the 100% Kona coffee with coffee lovers like themselves. Their coffee is grown directly from farms in Hawaii, making it unique compared to others. The owners decided they wanted to share their coffee with those beyond the island of Hawaii, and with this decision, they made it all the way to New Jersey. In total, they have established 40 new locations, and have more than 100 in development.
Despite its unique story and background, some members of the community have shared their mixed opinions on its debut in Madison. Whether it is simply that they believe there is an unreasonable amount of choices to get their everyday morning coffee, or their refusal to break an enduring loyalty to one specific shop, not everyone was as excited as others. Madison community member, and high school teacher, Ms. Lisa DiTuro said she “didn’t love” the name of the establishment. Although not a coffee drinker, she said she is “not a huge fan of a super large swear word being posted in the town.” She elaborated that even though the location is convenient, she doesn’t “love it as a ‘Welcome to Madison’ when you get off the train and there’s a really large swear word.” Ms. DiTuro also noted that there were a lot of coffee places in town, but she couldn’t say which one was the best.
Alternatively, others said that it may be the best. There were others that were ecstatic and were intrigued by the opening of a new coffee shop. It partners well with other new establishments, including the Bake House, Hartley Restaurant, and The Baker. Students at Madison High School didn’t hesitate to share their thoughts. Sophomore Bella Blunda said, “I thought it was very unique how the coffee beans are directly grown from Hawaii, and then transported to their locations off the island, as it is a lot different compared to other coffee shops in Madison.” As for sophomore Grace Garrity, she believes that “the location and hours of the shop are very convenient for those who have to take an early train in to work, as it opens at 6AM and is right across from the Madison Train Station.” Both students agree that although there are many options for coffee in the town of Madison, Bad Ass Coffee had to be one of the very best that they had.
Despite hesitance surrounding its name, Madison welcomes Bad Ass Coffee to join the many other food establishments in the downtown community, and if the drip is good, maybe it will last.