Aura Coffee

Reviews 3

A

A Private User

I used to go to Big Mikes all the time. Id study there, bring my friends, buy coffee, tip when I didnt have money to tip, etc. I loved the atmosphere and I always reccommended it to people. I was a loyal, returning customer, but upon hearing how my friends were treated a couple days ago, I will never be going back, and neither will 13 other people, that I know of. In this economy, people who wont yell at their customers need jobs. Their behavior is arrogant and lazy when there are people who need that job, who will do it better. I would encourage others to not support this kind of “work ethic”, or lack thereof. A couple days ago, my friend Marie was there waiting for another one of our friends Christine. Marie sat there studying for like 10 minutes before Christine got there. Before Christine got there, one of the baristas came around the corner and started yelling at the entire place, “Alright, if you havent bought something, you need to GET up there and buy something. And you, right there, yes you, throw away that outside food (pointing at a girl). Come on, guys go get up and get some coffee!”, yelling and making everyone uncomfortable. Christine got there, set a little bottle of Gatorade on the table where Marie was, and went up to buy coffee. The barista who yelled came around the corner and singled Marie out, blessing her out about the Gatorade bottle, and insisting that she go order some coffee. She tried to explain that the bottle wasnt even hers, and that she didnt have her wallet today, but he continued to berate her. (She goes there a lot, same as me, and just last Friday bought $12 worth of coffee to bring to us. Its not like she goes there and mooches off the space, this was literally the one time she didnt have her wallet. And Christine was buying something...) He was yelling at her about how “these butts in these chairs who buy coffee sign my paychecks, people dont buy coffee, Im not getting paid, etc”. (Really? You work on commission selling coffee? Im pretty sure thats not how that works, haha...) Anyway, this went on like this for a while, until the barista gave up and went and got Big Mike. Mike came over and not only defended the barista, but went so far as to tell Marie to borrow money from Christine to buy something. He was unbelievably rude and unprofessional. He finally told her to leave, and Christine said that when she did, the other baristas were yelling after her, “Go! Please, finally!” and the first barista literally stood up on the counter and yelled after her “THANK you for leaving and making my day better!” Now. Couple things. I understand that they dont allow outside food. I understand that they want people to buy things if they use the space. However. A Gatorade bottle left on the table when Christine went to buy something is not a reason for the shameful display that followed. Also, between about 6 of us, were almost always in there. We buy coffee ALL the time. The one time one of us didnt bring her wallet and this guy has to throw a hissy fit? You would not be treated that way anywhere else. This was a really dumb move. They lost 6 loyal customers that day, and by this time, the count is up to 13. They are a small local business, and word of mouth does a lot. I just cannot get over how unprofessional the whole scene was. People were so uncomfortable and rightfully so. You never, ever, treat customers that way. Ever. Furthermore, there is definitely no excuse for the owner of the place to support such behavior. Its really unwise. This is Denton, coffee places are a dime a dozen. Maybe treating your customers well is too mainstream, but they seriously could learn some things about how to run a business. This barista guy literally pitched a temper tantrum at the entire place like a two year old. And isnt Big Mike running for city council? Excellent campaigning there...

A

A Private User

The building is old and looks very run down, lowering the quality of its atmosphere, so that may be a negative for some, but the absolute worst thing about this place is the staff. I am a student at UNT right across the street, and on this past thursday night me and 2 friends spent the entire night at the Willis Library studying. Around 5:00, one of my friends wanted some coffee, and the Willis cafe closes at 2am. So we decided to head down to Big Mikes since its 24/7. My friend got her coffee and we got a table and started to finish reviewing for our final, I had a bottle of coke with me that I had bought at the library sitting on the table, b/c I didnt want to keep it in my lap top bag, and one of the staff came by and asked my to put it away and I did. However, after that she went on a witch hunt and started to check every table making sure no one had outside food or drink. Finally she got to another table where someone had an outside drink and began to argue with them that this wasnt part of the universitys campus and that if that person wanted to stay there they had to buy something, and if they wanted to stay and finish their drink, they could pay to use a mug and pour the drink into it. She then walked back to the other side of the store to tell another employee that there was someone there with outside drinks. Later she came back to talk to the rule violator again and eventually they just left. Let me just say that I understand where the employee was coming from, about it not just being a place where anyone can come mooch off the space, and if this were a real coffeeshop that was always busy and full of people id understand, but there wasnt even 10 people in there, and they dont even do much barista wise. For instance if you want cream in your coffee you have to walk to a mini fridge and get it yourself. And even at the busiest Starbucks in Manhattan, they dont kick people out in most cases. Groups of friends go together, and only one person buys coffee and they sit their together for an hour. Or even here in DFW a person actually will buy a drink, but then stay their on their lap-tops for a much longer time than what it takes to finish their drink. B/c real businesses know that if someone has a positive experience there, theyll come back and refer other people to go there as well. But all the people at Big Mikes seem to do is alienate and antagonize possible patrons, and create an awkward experience for other patrons who have to sit and watch. I know my one friend who actually bought their coffee is never going to go back again, and even though I was not an actual patron on that day, should I ever decide I need or want a cup of joe, Im never going to go there to get it

ST

Steven Kilpatrick

I once asked for three shots of espresso, I was told (by Mike, the owner) that they either did two shots, or they did four. I said that Id settle for two and Mike, as condescending as he could be, said, "See there, well get you where you need to be." The place looks like a basement full of musty books, the tables look like they were picked up off the side of the road a piece at a time, and the owner is, as stated below, a little bit rude. I think hes mistaken perfect location for a perfect business model. The only draws of this place for me is that its open 24 hours during the school year, and that its within a minute of both my apartment and my classes. The fact that I only show up after the bars have closed means I get to experience the place at its best, which is to say, when its quiet (and when Mike is gone). When the morning shift arrives there is a binary of what to expect. A very kind and quiet staff that plays Etta James and smiles once in a while, or a loud guy playing the kind of punk that people only play when theyre trying to let you know just how legit they are. This guy is also always ready to rant, complain and shout about how someone nearby is "bs" to anyone who will listen. If this place were a mile from campus, it would attract a lot less business (just like all of Mikes other businesses over the years). Because of its location, its carved out a grimy niche for itself. One that, shamefully, Ive crawled into like a starving rat during crunch time. The coffees ok though.