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Gift & Gourmet is one of those shops you might have to visit a few times before you get hooked. Beans count at
Gift & GourmetThe lighting is low and a lot of stuff seems crammed into a small space. Merchandise ranges from the main draw, coffee, to chocolates to wine accessories to a small selection of costume jewelry.
But the choices, varied as they seem, are well thought out by owner Celia Kim, who after 14 years in business boasts a loyal customer base.
About 3,000 customers belong to her coffee club, which offers discounts on beans, brewers and filters. She estimates a third of them have been coming to the shop for more than a decade.
In return, Kim offers competitive prices and an obsession with quality.
"I tell people when they want to graduate off the franchise coffees to specialty, then come here," she said. Kim travels frequently to taste coffees and finds herself drawn to small, owner-run companies. Small production and attention to detail, like ripeness of the coffee fruit, are important, said Kim.
The small business owner even drinks coffee on Sundays, her one day off.
"I go for the fuller-bodied types," said Kim. She cited Jamaica Blue Mountain, Kona coffees (which are NOT all created equal, just ask), Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, Haiti Bleu, Puerto Rico Yauco Selecto and Sumatra Blue Lintong as favorites and said she likes to keep a variety at home. Her brewer of choice is a stainless steel French press.
Kim said she has seen customers wooed away by Starbucks and others, but not many and usually not for long. "Ninety-eight percent of the people who come here are connoisseurs. Starbucks is more of a fast-food coffee," she said.
The "gift" side of Gift & Gourmet mostly focuses on gourmet items. Things like boutique olive oil, scallop shells for serving the juicy mollusk and specialty teas predominate. So where does the costume jewelry fit in? "That was just a good deal," Kim said."When I find something that's unique, high quality and the best deal for the price out there (I buy it)," she said.
The store is open Saturdays for those who don't work downtown or don't think about shopping during the week. Street parking in the area is easy on the weekends
Gift & Gourmet: 212 Merchant St. (actually on the King Street side of the Arcade Building, near the corner of Alakea). Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday
Shopping Fanatic is a Thursday feature dedicated to the pursuit of shopping beyond the big malls.
Stephanie Kendrick, Star-Bulletin
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