Safehouse Coffee & Tea, Griffin

My friend John and I took a trip to Safehouse Coffee & Tea in the small downtown area of Griffin. We both like minimalist art and design, like that found on Tycho album covers. So naturally, we were drawn to the minimalist, industrial atmosphere that Safehouse provides its customers.

The coffee counter sits toward the back of the shop, yet it was the first thing that caught my eye, since nothing stands between the door and counter except a small table. There’s some seating at the coffee bar, but other than that, there are few tables on the first floor.

John and I sat upstairs underneath an Edison-style lightbulb hanging from a faded Victorian-era ceiling, which is original to the revitalized building. Two staircases lead to the area where we sat: an industrial spiral staircase to the side of the shop and a regular one in the back.

It’s by the second staircase where the heart of Safehouse lies: its in-house roaster. About 20 industrial-sized burlap bags full of green coffee sit outside of the roasting room. The micro roaster sits inside underneath a fluorescent light as if it’s sitting in a display case.

My favorite thing about Safehouse is that it only serves its coffee pour-over style using Chemex brewers. There are no large carafes full of coffee. Every cup of coffee is made individually with special care.

The atmosphere is calm and relaxing. Indie music plays in the background and allows customers to enjoy their cups of coffee with little distraction. Safehouse is a coffee shop that definitely deserves more recognition than it gets.