The Bellingham Herald, May 02, 2003

Black Drop caters to late-night under-21 crowd

By Rebecca Porter for The Bellingham Herald

If catching up with a friend over a good cup of java - with maybe some low music playing in the background and the quiet bustle of people around you - sounds like fun, then you should defnitely check out The Black Drop.

According to co-owner Alexarc Mastema, The Black Drop opened its doors at the corner of Champion and Grand on Decembe 13th, with the goal of creating a safe, late night place for the under-21 crowd.

"We wanted to offer something to the under-21 crowd to do other than hang out at Stuarts or the Haggen parking lot," Mastema said. "Both of which are fine, but you don't want to do that everday," he added.

"Now there are two late night coffee shops in town," Mastema said, referring to The Black Drop and Stuarts. "If your ex-girlfriend is at Stuarts, you can come here, or vice-versa."

Mastema, who denies that The Black Drop is going head-to-head with Stuart's, explains that the coffee houses fill completely different niches. "If you like poetry, then Stuarts is the place to be on Monday nights," he said. "But if on a Monday night you want to read your new Steven King book or visit with your brother who just came up from Portland, then we're the place to be."

Although The Black Drop is reaching out to the under-21 crowd, Mastema says there is a good mix of people showing up, from business people in the mornings to theatre folk in the evenings. "A business is like a big dog - it will go where it wants to go," he said. "We try to maintain an atmosphere that is appropriate for everyone."

Aside from being a good place for conversation or book reading, Mastema describes The Black Drop as inexpensive. "I've made some good deals with people I buy my coffee and goods from," he said. "Teri (Mastema's business partner) and I have worked really hard to offer the best product we can at the lowest price."

Mastema, who has worked as a roaster, a barista, and a manager in the last 12 years, says The Black Drop serves the typical coffee house fare, including a variety of espresso drinks. "I have a million drinks hidden under my hat," Mastema added. "If someone wants something bizarre, I can do it."