Hey Folks,
Pour yourself a cup of coffee and let’s talk…. well… coffee shops.
Travelling around the country like we do gives Margo and I great
opportunities to check out local coffee shops.
Sure, you can get a cup of Joe on any corner these days. Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, even McDonalds is
getting in the game. But to really
immerse yourself in the local community nothing beats the independently owned
hometown coffee shop. We’ve been to coffeehouses in strip malls and historic buildings, brewhouses on college campuses and in office complexes. Even an establishment down the street
from Temple Square
in the very Mormon town of Salt Lake
City. Mormons
do not consume caffeine of any kind so operating a coffee shop there has its
challenges. Sometimes the coffee isn’t that
good (rare) but the conversation and education of local history is always worth
the stop.
One of our favorite shops so far is right here in Watertown, TN. Yes, here I go again bestowing compliments on
this little town but it’s true.
Ironically, it’s called LuLu’s.
As most of you know, Margo named our 25 foot Airstream Safari LuLu a few
years back and since then we have affectionately called her by name in our
posts. Imagine our surprise when we
cruised onto Main Street
in Watertown
for the first time and saw 1) a cool coffee shop and 2) it was named
LuLu’s.
LuLu’s is owned and operated by Gabrielle and her father Ron,
both Watertown
residents. They bought it about 3 years
ago and have turned it into more than just your typical coffee shop. It’s housed just off the Watertown Square in a brick building
circa 1903. It’s been many things in the
past including the post office in the 50s and a blueprint shop but now is the
focal point of Main Street. They also serve food (great hand pressed burgers)
but also offer a vegetarian menu and unique dinner items and desserts – all
homemade. It has a hippie flair to
it. The menu is covered with peace signs
and the walls with paintings from local artists. It’s a long way from the bright chrome and
sterile plastic of a Starbucks and that’s what makes it so special.
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| Hey! Is that Brad Pitt? |
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| Homemade specials |
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| The shops' namesake 'LuLu' |
But wait, it gets better.
On Saturday nights they have live music.
The best bands and singer-songwriters you’ve never heard of can be seen
here every weekend. This is the
outskirts of Nashville
so talented musicians abound here. To
get an invite to play (for free) at LuLu’s is an honor. A few Saturday’s ago “Black Cat Crossing”
performed Muddy Waters style blues in front of a packed house of 30 (it’s a
small place) and one Jack Russel Terrier.
The well behaved pooch belonged to a quite eccentric looking local who
stopped in – guitar in hand – and joined the band for a set. The dog made the rounds while dad jammed on
the little stage.
Why is a dog allowed to run amuck in a restaurant? Well, it’s a small town thing but she was also
an official service dog. I’m not sure in
what capacity but it didn’t matter; she was just as welcome as the rest of
us. It’s more than that though. LuLu’s is named after a Chihuahua whose
picture is the shops’ logo, not only appearing on the sign outside above the
front door, but also paid homage to with a supersized Andy Warholesque painting that
hangs prominently over the stage. Dog’s
rule in Watertown.
This Saturday singer/songwriter Jennifer Brantley and her
husband Dave took to the stage. They’ve
been part of the Nashville
music scene for many years. They tour but
when they’re off the road in the winter months they particularly enjoy playing
intimate venues like LuLu’s. In
conversation with her between sets we discovered Jennifer has family in Ocala (our
hometown). It’s really a small country
when you think about it.
So when in Watertown be sure to stop by LuLu's. In the meantime, we’ll keep you posted on future java juke joints we come across
in our travels.
Check out Black Cat Crossing on YouTube here. Devon Gilfillian and the band put on a great
show.
Kevin
