Yes :-) Jennifer's review (Apr 30th 2006)

Nuzzled next to Quizno’s just off Main on Wall, my favorite downtown coffee spot has eluded me for almost a year now. After the tiny Rocket Bakery near the Fox Theater closed, there was a period I couldn’t take in a movie at River Park Square, visit Auntie’s Bookstore, or make even a quick ATM stop at Washington Mutual without grabbing a hot drink from Thomas Hammer. And as much as I love my fireballs, I haven’t stopped in for a single latte, cappuccino, or espresso since this picture was snapped the morning of the Pride Parade last June. Maybe this post should be a new resolution. A resolution to drink more Thomas Hammer coffee.

But my coffee resolution is faulty. Thomas Hammer signature blend often ends up in my morning cup. I’m just the one playing barista instead of downtown’s newest coffee slinger. Maybe I should make a pledge to spend more time admiring the Mad Batter baked goods, loafing in the plush chairs, and marveling at the stream of downtown characters who make their way inside the small shop instead. I’m mesmerized by the orange neon clock; I need to let it hypnotize me into drinking more coffee. Seems like a much more manageable goal, doesn’t it? So, next time I take in a movie I’ll see you there. I promise.

This Bean Scene post is part of an ongoing series.

Yes :-) Anatole Noziere's review (Aug 5th 2006)

Long experience and refined instinct have led me to two perfect coffee blends, both of them local, characteristically Spokane-type coffees, and both, in my opinion, world-class: Craven’s “Luna Blend” and Thomas Hammer’s “Fireball Express.” I honestly cannot tell which I prefer, so I buy both and have them on alternate mornings.