If you notice something missing when you walk into the newest Dutch Bros. Coffee location at 430 NE Lloyd Boulevard, don't be alarmed.
The traditional, hulking espresso machine that can create a barrier between you and your friendly barista is gone. It's been replaced by a Modbar, the visual evidence being six taps that take the form of curvy tabletop sculpture.
The machinery is still there, tucked neatly under the counter. Coffee beans are ground while you wait and human hands still tamp then pull the shots. Customers see the velvety-brown nectar streaming out just inches away.
What's been added is the "ability to have one-on-one interaction, more intimate conversations" between barista and coffee-drinker, says store manager Teal Anderson.
Note to the introverted coffeehouse dwellers of yore: expect a friendly welcome the second your first foot is in the door and the speakers spilling alternative rock to be turned up.
That's another thing, known as the Dutch Bros. Espresso Bar, this new storefront is set up for major action. There's an inside, urban-feel lounge open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily and a 24-hour drive-through. There are six Modbar taps and three traditional espresso machines (though one of those is in the back for training and filling to-go boxes), each with four spouts.
"It's loud and fun," Anderson says. "We cater to the area we're in and being close to the Moda Center and convention center, we want to cater to people on the go."
Posted on: 2016-02-05 10:41 AM 
