Featured Wholesale Partner: Morgan & York
How long have you been in business?
I have been selling Specialty Food and Wine at Morgan & York since 2011, prior to that I was a partner in a great local delicatessen. In fact, I met the founders of Small World Coffee in the early 1990s when we all worked for the same coffee company here in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
What motivated or inspired you to start your business?
I was and am motivated by making a difference. I love connecting great producers with great customers. Selling history you can taste is what gets me up in the morning. I never thought of myself as “Traditional” until I closely examined what made me excited about food and wine. Traditionally made products have more flavor and resonate with folks far better than trendy rubbish.
What are some of your products or services that you are most proud of?
I love the coffee we serve. We sell whole bean coffee and we also make drinks and they are both fantastic. I am also proud to be selling artisanal cheese. My favorite food and drinks are the ones that have been around prior to the Industrial Revolution. Many of our offerings were invented as a way to preserve food prior to the invention of refrigeration. Salami, bread, wine and cheese…what is not to love about those goodies?
Tell us a little bit about the town you serve.
Ann Arbor is a 150,000 person town that exists just outside of the Metro Detroit Area. It is home to the University of Michigan. This is a food lover’s town. The Farmer’s Market is strong and going almost all year long! People in Ann Arbor love to cook and to entertain. We are very lucky to have wonderful and diverse food shops. I think about Ann Arbor as having many of the great things you find in a big city while retaining many small town pleasantries.
What do you consider to be your core business?
We sell almost equally wine and food. Most everything we sell is sold by what we call a “Hand Sell”. Like most of the products we purvey we have to make each sale happen by “Hand”. We do not carry commodity items that sell themselves. Our goods often need an advocate that can explain why they are special. Many of our core items are made by people we have come to know and love as friends and family. Telling the stories and explaining what is special is personal and meaningful. Along with telling the story of the food and drinks we are able to sample them…once that happens we can usually make casual visitor into regular customer.
When you go out to eat, where do you like to go?
My favorite restaurant in the US is right near Small World. I love Balthazar in Manhattan. I can usually get there at least once a year. I love Bistro food and atmosphere. Here in Ann Arbor I love Logan, Frita Batidos, Jerusalem Garden and Blimpy Burgers.
If you were stranded on an island and could only have one luxury food item, what would it be?
You gotta make this question even harder by making me pick one on my 5 senses I have to lose too! I pick sight and Champagne. I love fizzy wine. Champagne has been relegated to the “Fancy Pants”, sadly folks think that it is not for them and that they’ll never “Get it”. Champagne is a very flexible and accessible wine. It is easy to pair with food and fun to drink.
What’s a must have for someone’s first visit to your store?
First time to the shop you gotta have a coffee drink and let us make you a Bocata. We have wonderful coffee and European style sandwiches. Once your tummy is fully and happy I’ll show you all the unique wine and food that we carry. We can plan out a meal or two using all the great stuff we sell.
How did you hear about Small World Coffee?
I was lucky enough to watch Small World Coffee as it was born! Jessica Durrie shared her dream of opening a community centered coffee house with me when we worked together in Ann Arbor. It took me a long time to get to over the name “Small World”. When I was a kid I got stuck along with my grandparents on a ride at Disney World. Yep, it was “It’s a Small World” for a couple of hours. I had that song torturing me while my Grandfather restrained me to keep me from swimming to safety.
Which one of our coffees do you like the most?
We use “Rocket Blend” as our house coffee. I drink it everyday with just a touch of Calder Dairy half and half.
What is your favorite way to prepare coffee?
I make my coffee at home one cup at a time. I use a ceramic filter cone with a Mellita #2 pre-rinsed filter. I try to get up early enough to have two cups of coffee before the demands of the day start taxing my schedule.
Is there any other question you wish I would have asked?
Do you think you look more like David Hassllehoff, George Bush or Will Ferrell?
