Why subscribe?
Subscribe to get full access to the ACS newsletter and other things I am working on behind the scenes at ACS. Subscribers get access to a detailed AirTable of 230+ coffee shops in and around Atlanta, shout-outs on the Instagram page when I visit Atlanta coffee shops, and a “chat” feature here on Substack (kind of like a mini club).
Detailed “About” page:
Atlanta Coffee Shops aims to profile local and independent coffee shops in the Atlanta metro area.
The goal of the project is multidimensional, with the following themes:
1. Photography. Capture some beautiful images of the interior and exterior of the coffee shop, as well as some editorial type of images (on this website and Instagram) within the coffee shop. In some instances, also capture photos of coffee drinks within the coffee establishment. All of the photos on Atlanta Coffee Shops are captured by a photographer using professional camera gear. I want you to know that I’ve personally visited (sometimes several times) all the coffee shops that appear on this web site, and all of the photos that appear on this site are captured by me. The photography perspective is meant to serve as a visual discovery element for potential customers/visitors to a local coffee shop in Atlanta (or as part of #ACStravels).
2. Storytelling. Tell a story about the coffee shop (how and why the coffee shop came into existence, what makes the coffee shop unique, who the founders/owners are, etc.) via the blog component (and selectively via Instagram). The aim isn’t to provide reviews of the coffees served at the shops but to distill a more holistic story about the coffee shop and the people (owners, customers, baristas) associated with it. I aim to highlight and describe some unique element in every coffee shop I visit (and I’ve visited more than 120 coffee shops in the Atlanta metro area). My personal interests are broad in scope, including but not limited to: art, design, photography, podcasts, social media, finance, technology, start-ups, books (fiction, particularly classical literature; and non-fiction), entrepreneurship, data analytics, statistics/mathematics, psychology, philosophy, history, general trivia, and writing4—so I try to weave those elements in the storytelling in some fashion or another.
Overall, I believe in getting the story right and detailed enough such that it withstands the test of time—for this reason, the profiles/spotlights of coffee shops that appear on the blog may take me several weeks or longer to put together after my initial visit (capturing and editing the photos, researching, writing, proofreading, and asking thoughtful questions through the Q&A with the coffee shop owners takes considerable time; it is not uncommon for me to spend twenty to thirty or more hours to publish a single feature blog post).
My posting frequency on the blog and social media may not be frequent; however, when I do post, it will be something that’s meticulously researched, with the published post that’s high quality, informative, and substantial (that is, at least, my goal as a photographer, author, and curator).
3. Atlanta Coffee Map. Help locals and visitors find a great coffee shop in a particular area of Atlanta (via the Atlanta Coffee Shops map integrated with Google Maps). The Atlanta Coffee Shops map can be imported directly into the Google Maps app on your mobile device (see instructions here).
4. Events. Curate events and happenings that are occurring on a regular or semi-regular basis at Atlanta coffee shops.
5. Search. Provide listings/results on which coffee shops to visit by various user-chosen criteria/amenities (pet-friendly, which roasting partner the coffee shop uses, parking options, etc.)—this part of the project/website is under consideration/development.
6. Curation. Compile a listing of coffee shops that meet a certain criteria useful to coffee shop visitors. For example, this page provides a list of Atlanta coffee shops that serve oat milk; this page provides a listing of dog-friendly Atlanta coffee shops; this page provides a listing of the best coffee shops in Atlanta for working remotely; this page profiles some local and independent Atlanta coffee shops that are hiring. Future compilations will include Atlanta coffee shops that are friendly for parents with babies/kids and a few more curated resource pages. Overall, this part of the project is still under development based on user feedback/requests.
If you find the site useful, I would appreciate it if you spread the word and tell your friends/family/colleagues. If you enjoy the content at Atlanta Coffee Shops, please also subscribe to the ACS newsletter, which is sent out about once or twice a month.
Thank you for reading!
—Eugene
