Hey everybody!
Most of you are aware that we had to close for a short time last month. We felt so awful about depriving our customers of their caffeine, so we decided to take that time to update our store entirely, give it a facelift, and make it much more comfortable and accessible! Our boss and employees worked long and hard to give the shop some much-needed TLC. 

We went from this....

....to this!

New paint, brand new handmade (by the bossman and his brother!) wood countertop, new handwritten (simpler) menu, more shelving, and lighting...it all looks much brighter, don't you think?
In the back, we shrunk down our candy shelving and added some bigger tables to accommodate larger parties.

As far as behind the counter, we have brand new refrigerators, tile flooring, an industrial sized sink,  new espresso grinders, new coffee brewer, and MUCH more counter space. We have so much room to move around, which allows us to work better, happier, and more efficiently. When your baristas are happy, they smile when they make your coffee, and everyone knows that that's part of what 
makes your coffee delicious! :) 


And, for the pièce de résistance....*cue epic music*

Wow, now that is a beautiful, shiny piece of espresso machine.
As a long-time employee at this coffee shop, I cannot tell you how excited I am that we have this brand new machine.  Since we've gotten this machine, our espresso has tasted richer, stronger, and fuller. With it we can make beautiful (and seriously kick-ass) lattes, cappuccinos, and other specialty drinks. 
 

I know this blog post was maybe a little overdue, and a lot of people have been in since the changes, but I thought it'd be a good idea to write about exactly what it was we changed and to let you guys know how dedicated we are to making our coffee shop a comfortable place for you! We are always open to feedback, so don't be too shy to let us know your thoughts!

At the risk of making this blog too long, I wanted to introduce another big change we made. We want to be as involved with social media as possible, so we created a free smart phone app (available on both Apple and Android devices) for you guys to use! This is what it looks like,

This app can be downloaded simply by searching our name on your device's app store.  There are links to our Facebook, Twitter, a map showing where we're located, as well as our general contact information. You can also order coffee and access special coupons and promotions! 

One of the best things about this app is that there are virtual punch cards for drinks and food! For years, we had paper punch cards on which you'd receive a punch for each drink purchased. Buy 9, get the 10th free. With the app, you only need to buy 6 drinks to get the 7th free! As for the food card, if you buy 8 items off the Lunch menu (salads, wraps, sammis–sorry, no breakfast!) you can get the 9th item free! Having this app on your phone means one less crumpled up card you have to scramble to search for in your wallet!


Okay, I think I've said enough for now. 
As always, thank you so much to our customers and our readers! Please don't hesitate to send me feedback and suggestions!
Olivia 

Hi, everybody!
It's been a long time since we've posted a blog, hasn't it? 

Well, today we're bringing the blog back to you guys with a brand new writer! We are so thankful to our lovely Briana Webley for taking the time to do thorough research and create fun and informative blog posts, but the time has come to pass the torch to a new blogger.  I wanted to take the time in this post to tell you guys a little bit about myself and what I plan to do with this blog.

I think most of our regular customers might know me already, but my name is Olivia and I've been at Saratoga Coffee Traders (on and off) for about 4 years. I started working at the coffee shop while I was still in high school and it is a job that I cherish and enjoy very much. Working at the coffee shop has given me the ability to interact with people easily and comfortably, as well as the opportunity to make the world a better place with delicious caffeinated beverages.  I love my job, my coworkers, and our customers!

Most of you might know already, but I am a person that is always seeking new adventures and I have a strong desire to see as much of the world as I can! Last year I took off from college and traveled Europe for 3 months alone (hence the silly clog picture above.) It was a life changing experience for me, and it is something I suggest that everyone try if they have the means to do so.

This brings me to my intentions for this blog: In February of this year I will be embarking on another journey to Seoul, South Korea. I am majoring in Korean language in school and will be studying abroad at a South Korean University. Obviously, this means I will not be at the coffee shop for some time. 

Through this blog, I want to show our customers– as well as anyone who may come across our blog– Korean café culture, caffeine consumption habits,  unique coffee drinks I come across during my journey, and any other cultural tidbits our readers might like.  I want to show our readers South Korea through their unique cafés and coffee shops.  In the meantime, I am thinking of profiling each of our employees in a sort of "Meet the Baristas"type-deal.

Please let me know what you think! If you have any suggestions on any coffee-related blog topics, leave me a comment, a message on our facebook, or on my facebook!

I really need your help to make this blog a success, and your feedback is so important to me!
Thank you so much for reading,
Olivia