Love my morning coffee...

...But love the independent Coffee Shop Guy more...

I recently started getting my morning brew at a new independently-owned coffee shop, located less than half a block from a behemoth Starbucks. My initial intentions were to show support for the "little guy." That was until I noticed the guy behind the counter.

For months now, I have been exchanging smiles with this artist/hippie coffee guy. I'm a complete sucker for his enormous brown eyes (think Hush Puppies).

He knows my order and start making it the second I walk in the door. When I walk in, he often rushes behind the counter to "help out." He notices and comments when I miss a day. He teases me when I show up late in the morning - obviously running late for work.

Since he was working alone this morning, I finally introduced myself. After learning his name, I'm crushing even more: Jake... Isn't that the cutest? Anyway, I am going to keep getting my coffee from Mr. Independent Coffee Shop Guy. Nothing will probably ever come of it, but it is nice to have the first person you speak to each morning be a hottie, like him.

It makes getting up at 8am that much easier.

Side Note: What's my deal with guys in the service industry? Waiters (Cafe Juanita), Bartenders (No Malice) and now the coffee shop guy. I obviously have a "thing" going here.