STORM2K

OK, so this isn't Atlanta. And so it isn't a place called THE FRONT!

Still, right here in Phoenix, and right near my place of work, local television and radio meteorologist Ed Phillips and his wife Anne are opening a coffee bar where the topic is weather!

Called appropriately, Weather and Coffee, it promised to be a great place to talk about weather and feel at home doing so. I plan to test it out very soon.

While a lot of people have mixed feelings about The Weather Channel, the place promises to have it tuned in all the time when they are open.

I don't yet know Ed Phillips personally, but I've already sent him a message. I want a personal tour of the place, and I even have some weather momentos I might even be willing to hang on the wall or display for others to talk about.

Nice touch, Ed. Thanks for doing what I've thought about doing for a long long time. Should be...could be...might be a fun place.

By the way, Ed Phillips is a former state congressman and his wife a former lawyer...so if weather gets boring as a topic, you can probably talk politics instead!

I'm going to encourage him to hang up a Storm2k cap..and if he says yes, I'll buy it and make sure it hangs on the wall where everyone can see it. Sorry, no S2k thong, though.

I'll let you know what I discover when I go there.

Here's a link....

http://www.weatherandcoffee.com/

those places are catchy... In sheboygan, there is a weather and coffee bar... called the Weather Center. Its a neat little place

Might be nice to start one of those here...no, the locals think "cumulus" was a Roman emperor, and "nimbus" is a sleepy school transportation driver.

That sounds cool! I always have to have a cup of java while listening or reading the weather on the internet.

Way - I wish them much success!

Here in Orlando, I don't know if there is such a themed place. There is a shacklike little bar close to Sand Lake Road on S. Orange Avenue, called Hurricane Cody's. There is a somewhat weathered (appropriately) painting of a swirling storm on the outside, facing the road. I guess their kung-fu was strong, as they survived last season somehow (especially Charley).

Myself, I love the idea of opening and running a modest little coffee/etc place. Back when I first exited the USAF, I came up with a snack/video-game/model/R/C racing place called "Flight Line Hobbies". These would be just within walking distances to military bases, ready to suck up lots of bored soldier cash. You could buy and play video games, model kits, board games, and race R/C cars (Baja). Maybe a putt-putt course, too, and lots of contests for all of the activities. Just never developed past the coffee-stained note sheet stage. Like most of my pies-in-the-sky, the initial startup cash has never been available. I'd agree that if I'd wanted it "bad enough", then I would have found a way. It CAN be done - making an idea into a profitable reality. I know an individual who found a niche and filled it with instructional booklets and class seminars. He went from a card-table in a closed-in garage to now having his own school building and a garage for the antique cars that he can now easily afford. Pretty . The two things that I remember is how he WORKED his butt off chasing his vision, and a fortune cookie paper he had (no joke). It read "You only truly fail when you stop trying", and he got it right at a time he was afraid to quit his "regular job" and go after his dream full-throttle. Like I said, stuff, especially when I was once shown a cigar box full of rolled currency - "petty cash" to the tune of ten grand. SIGH.

ANYWAYS, it can be done. I hope the Coffee/Weather folks succeed, and also that the Storm 2k'ers out there find their ways, too - and have the DRIVE to get over that first hurdle!

Steve - there's always someone out there with the next idea and it really takes off. This guy could really be onto something here. I often say as I eat another cup of Dippin' Dots - now why didn't we think of this new way to dispense ice cream? LOL That guy has to be a billionairre by now....

Anywho, what this man has done is call attention to the typical, daily banter between customers. Usually current events, the weather, come up in cafe's, barber shops, etc.

He's just making Weather front and center, next to coffee, of course.

Seems to be an obvious marriage of the two doesn't it? Definitely get him to hang up a Storm2K hat! That would be so cool! He could take the decor one step further and ask for other items from Met's across the country, to be on display. Here in Cincinnnati, we have Channel 12's Met Tim Hedrick, grilling with a different neighborhood/street each week. You submit your name, invite about 200 guests, and Tim shows up with live feed cameras, donated food and drink from various local companies and you're all on air for 90 minutes (everytime he does a weather segment). Little kids practice between weather reports and then they will help him do the weather.

He has T-shirts and aprons, with the slogan Grillin' with Tim. See, this man could display all sorts of items like this.

The more I think of it now, he really is onto a good thing here. Hope it takes off!

Mary

That's a really neat idea! Coffee shops are great.