Hi all! Hope everyone had a great Labor Day! We are back on our regular schedule.
Today on our coffee shop Monday’s adventures we head to beautiful Alton, Illinois. A quaint and old historical little city. Our next stop:
Post Commons.
Now right off the bat, walking out of the car, me and my boyfriend were floored just by the front of the building. It was an old post office! With pretty gray brick, adorned on the top was faded letters “United States Post Office”. Talk about historical.
We walked in, and were just as equally floored. They kept most of the original post office, including the little mailboxes and the front desk teller. Beyond that, the amount of space in that place was insane. It was huge!! I was thinking it could possibly be one of the biggest coffee shops we’ve been to.
Everything was vintage for sure, it looked like they tried to keep as much as the post office as they could and incorporate it into the coffee shop. Old mailboxes, old scales, an old phone booth, even an old door they repurposed as a table. Huge paintings hung on the walls telling stories of activities and important people in history.
To the left was a little bar, reserved for weekend brunches and special events. (Remembered when I said they kept mailboxes? They kept wine in them!! Smart!) To the right was the actual coffee bar itself. Wooden chairs and tables all around, and couches for the comfy enthusiast. People were studying, talking, enjoying themselves. There was plenty of room to do so.
There were several rooms of this open concept place. In the very back was a beautiful little hall, used for yoga classes and private events. The whole room had string lights and gorgeous exposed wood. You could have a intimate wedding back there if you wanted to.
Walking up to the barista, we assessed what to get. The menu was on a cute chalkboard. I am really trying to push myself and try not to get the same thing every time. When it comes to coffee, I am kind of lame. I just want the caffeine, so why stray from a cold brew or an americano? But no, we are coffee shop Monday’s, we need to expand our horizons. I ordered something called a cortado, which is espresso shots mixed with steamed milk, served in a small glass.
The drink was gorgeous, in a beautiful little glass and the steamed milk arranged in a little design. Almost too pretty to drink…. almost. It was strong but smooth. Warmed my heart and my soul.
So there me and my boyfriend sat in this former post office and really took it in. The place was SO cool. Who thinks of turning around an old place into such a cool looking coffee shop while still keeping the charm of what it used to be.
If you’re in Alton, while you’re enjoying the cobblestone roads and old buildings, I would absolutely stop by. Grab a warm drink and enjoy the views and feel like you’re in a little piece of history.
See you all next week!
Coffee Shop Monday's 