Rob Garcia, General Manager at Champion Coffee, 1107 Manhattan Ave
There’s nothing more enjoyable than cradling a hot coffee in this insanely cold weather. In our next interview as part of our winter survival guide series, we spoke to Champion Coffee’s Manhattan Avenue manager Rob Garcia about his favorite cold weather drinks when visiting Champion or when you’re planning a day of hibernation at home. Check out our previous interviews here and here.
COFFEE: CHAMPION| 142 Nassau Ave, 1107 Manhattan Ave Rob Gargia, General Manager
Greenpointers: What is your favorite type of coffee drink to get through the winter?
Rob Garcia: I feel like drip coffee is underrated in general and I know that that is boring, but I really would suggest it. People think that espresso has more caffeine, but drip coffee has twice the amount. I’ve been really enjoying just sitting with a drip coffee. If you do want an espresso drink, macchiatos are also underrated in my opinion.Continue reading →
A local man, Christopher Boissard, who has been harassing and grabbing locals, in addition to shoving customers inside local businesses has now been charged with felony sex abuse.
“An accused serial groper who has attacked and stalked a neighborhood mom continues to target other local woman — seemingly undeterred by restraining orders against him, police and his victims said.
Christopher Boissard, 25 — a deaf man who’s been arrested more than 30 times on various low-level charges — has three pending groping cases against him and a conviction for attacking and harassing his own father, court records show.
He has violated orders of protection barring him from going near his alleged victims at least six times, in a pattern neighbors worry could get someone killed.”
“Last fall, on Sept. 11, he fondled a woman’s breasts at the intersection of Manhattan Avenue and Freeman Street at around 9:30 p.m., according to prosecutors. He was arrested, and Judge Matthew J. D’Emic set bail at $500, which he posted, court records show.”
“Boissard fondled a woman’s breasts and shoved her inside a store near India Street and Manhattan Avenue, as workers at the store repeatedly asked him to leave, prosecutors said.”
“Workers at Manhattan Avenue’s Champion Coffee said that two weeks before Boissard groped Clare, police were called after he chased several women down the avenue, though no police report was filed.
He’s shoved customers inside local businesses, and sometimes walks in and screams before running out, witnesses said. Shopkeepers say they keep a watchful eye on Boissard.”
Yesterday, residents at the north end of Greenpoint had their unbelievable patience greatly rewarded. Last August, the neighborhood lost one of its most beloved establishments, Champion Coffee, when the 1108 Manhattan Avenue shop closed its doors due to “unforeseen circumstances.” Luckily, the paperwork had already been signed on the space directly across the street in a former artists’ studio at 1107, and at their smaller café at 142 Nassau Avenue. The Nassau Avenue spot opened last November and now the new Manhattan Avenue flagship spot has opened its doors. And it is without a doubt one of the best additions to our coffee shop scene.Continue reading →
Champion Coffeemay have recently shuttered at 1108 Manhattan Avenue (due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’), but caffeine addicts have no reason to be be sad. Two new Champions are soon to spring up elsewhere in Greenpoint to replace it.
First up will be a new cafe at 142 Nassau Avenue, on the site of Sweet Fox, which has now closed down. Champion’s Talitha Whidbee tells us that “Sweet Fox owner Jean Marc was ready to get back to his catering life and away from the constant demands of a cafe so we bought Sweet Fox from him which we will remodel over the next month and re-open as Champion Coffee.” This location will be almost exactly the same as the original Champion (with a slightly pared down food menu), and will be opening around September 22nd.
There is also a second, larger space in the pipeline, at 1107 Manhattan Avenue, directly across the road from the original. “Due to its size it will be a little longer in coming to fruition, but we are shooting for end of November”, Talitha tells us. This location will have the standard Champion food and drink menu, with the addition of kombucha on tap from Mombucha and a few other exclusive beverages.
In the meantime North Greenpointers craving a coffee fix could do worse than to try out the newly opened Sweetleaf Coffee (or Propeller, or Early, or Bakeri…).
Greenpointer Serge Milli is organizing an art auction and donation drive to benefit typhoon victims this Saturday November 23 from 6-8pm at Champion Coffee (1108 Manhattan Ave). Bids for artworks start at $50. RSVP
Somewhere between clouds and sun, the end of summer in Greenpoint brought on a longing. A longing for more sun when thunderstorms seem to rain on and on.
While the nature of summer played its role, Greenpointers were seen inhabiting coffee shops seeking shelter from storms at window seats (Champion Coffee); watching the streets darken as clouds amassed, hearing vinyl play as something nostalgic in the presence of affogato [Toby’s Estate Coffee via Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream]; in an intimate cubby-hole while the midday sun warmed an interior (Variety Coffee), stopping to smell flowers blooming near coffee brewing [Spina], and catching sunlight shining through the front door of [Achilles Heel.]
Through it all, Greenpointers had music, a beautiful diaspora of music I might say shining a bright cultural light of its own. Curated from the above spaces, ‘Looks like The Sun” is a playlist for your listening and coffee drinking pleasure. And now, play.
