Colin's Coffee Needs You! "Pay the Rent Saturdays" starts this week (Jan 28th)

 Express Lane Version: Colin's Coffee Needs You To Buy Something From Us On Saturday January 28th. It's pay the rent Saturday! We are located in Upper Arlington, 3714 Riverside Dr. 43221. Fishinger and Riverside right next to the giant Golden Bear staring at Griggs Resoivor. 7am-4pm. Oh, and don't forget to tell other people, that's important.

Announcing a new World Wide Movement: "Pay The Rent Saturdays!" a plan to support local business beginning Saturday January 28th!

Ok people, I'm not going to bullshit you. Things get a little tight around the coffee shop this time of year.  More so, there is this guy called "the landlord" and this thing called "the rent" and together they can be a real drag. It seems like almost every month he is all, "yo, give me some money" and I'm like,"dude...I ain't got that kind of scratch handy", so I need some friends to come in and buy a drink or sandwich and help us "Pay the Rent".

We all know buying local is much better for the planet, economy and our collective well being but let's face it, who hasn't sat in a drive-thru burning gas just to get one sweet taste of Starbuck's overpriced Beelzebub blend? I know I have. Say what you want about the Devil or McDonald's, but if they know one thing it's: location,location,location!

It's not like I'm are asking for a huge favor. We have great coffee, mocha, lattés and all that jazz you can get at all the big places. Don't like coffee? No problem, hot chocolate, breakfast sandwiches, grilled cheese and tomato soup etc. Free WIFI. Come hang out. Study. Stalk your ex on Facebook perhaps? Good times.

"But I really like big corporate chain stores?"- you say?

Once again, no problem! Here at Colin's Coffee, we aim to please! On "Pay The Rent Saturday", we will have a jar out where you can just give us money and you do not have to order anything. You can support local business and then walk across our parking lot and choke down some crappy Mc Yuks swill. It's a win-win!

                                                     One Day a Month!

In all seriousness, we live in a world where corporations are not just king, they are considered "people". I stare out the windows of Colin's Coffee every single morning and watch the McDonald's drive-thru line overflow down the street. And I get it. That's just how it is. People are busy and while we all agree "buying local" is the right thing to do, it just isn't always convenient. So here is what I propose: Just one day a month, the last Saturday of every month go patronize a local business. Colin's Coffee or whomever. Try a small local restaurant, or grocery store, or record store or bar. or go see a band or whatever. Go to the Clairmont...Oh wait, too late. Everybody misses the local place when they read about them closing in the paper/online but the best time to miss them is while they are still in need of your business. Pay that place a visit one day a month.

Write in in your calendar and plan in advance. Like researching a local vacation. The last Saturday of every month is when you give the little guy a shot. Just asking 12 days out of 365. Not only will it improve your community, I guarantee you will be glad you tried it.      (If you agree please share, duh)

In the meantime, See you at Colin's Coffee Saturday January 28th (though I have to leave for a bit to take my son Owen to his 2nd basketball game ever- that's how you roll at a small business).

Thanks for reading this and if you agree, please share the sentiment (duh)- Colin

Colin Gawel is best known as the founder of the worldwide, "Pay the Rent" movement. Additionally, he plays in Watershed, the Lonely Bones, and once ranked every single Cheap Trick song in a 29 page essay. He is a husband, father, songwriter, fantasy baseball player. He moonlights as a coffee shop owner. colingawel.com 

Did I Mention I Play World of Beer Every Thursday 5:30-7pm?

If I didn't, just a reminder that I play an "all original" happy hour every single Thursday evening from 5:30-7pm at the fabulous "World of Beer". (503 S. Front Street- In old CD101 space next to Shadowbox)

World of Beer has 550 different beers, a really cool staff and a bunch of TV's for your veiwing pleasure.

I haven't played 550 songs yet, but here is what you have missed so far:

Superior/Profile/Chemotherapy/Words We Say/Sad Drive/Maybe Best If I Go/Try a Little Faith/Cold Weather/ AM Boy/i-65/Still Love Christmas/Lonely Bones/Half of Me/ Pretty in a Slutty Way/Saturday Night There's a Party/Plan B/New Life (original version)/She Rains She Pours/New Depression/American Muscle/Sticky Bomb/ Set The World on Fire/Good Day/Mercurochrome/Over Too Soon/Best is Yet to Come/I Deserve you/ How Do You Feel/Broken/ Manifesto/Resonate/Straight to Hell/I'm Getting Ready/Hey Lydia

ok- I admit, I have done a couple of covers as well: Kinks "Celluloid Heroes", Bruce- "Johnny 99", Tougher Than the Rest", Mavericks-"What a Crying Shame", Replacements-"Swingin Party" -----not exactly red meat for the masses, but I'll leave it to the other acts to do Creed or "Cheese Burger in Paradise".

Hope to see you soon!  colingawel.com 

The "Real" Story Behind Four String Brew.

Writers note: Dan Cochran and his new beer have been everywhere lately. While he has appeared on the cover of Business First along with a snazzy picture in the Alive, his beer, "Four String Brew" is spreading through Columbus like a dumpster fire on Campus. BW3, Brazenhead, Woodland's are all blowing through kegs and new locations are being announced weekly. "Four String Brew" is also one of the featured beers at this year's Columbus Winter Beer Fest. There has been much confusion about the origin of this soon to be legendary new brewery. This is how it really happened. -Colin 

A few years ago during rehearsal with the Lonely Bones, Dan suddenly stopped playing his trademark walking bass line during "Sad Drive" and said, "Guys, I need to talk to you about something". Herb, Rick and I all exchanged glances and I muttered, "uh..yeah..sure...what is it?"

We turned down our instruments and picked up our beers and he said, "Guys I've been doing a lot of thinking these days about how much beer our band has been drinking during practice. after practice. before practice. I mean look at us, It's 9:30am on a Sunday morning and Herb is already talking about who's turn it is to fly or buy"

Rick chimed in, "Dan, I don't think it's fair to criticise Herb, I mean, It is a legitimate question, that case of Milwaukee's Best is almost gone and it's not going to re buy itself. And.. we still have 14 more songs to run through. If i didn't know you better, I would say it almost sounds like you are suggesting that we run out of beer."

"I've got a bad feeling about this", said Herb.

Dan took off his Bass and turned off his amplifier and sat down on the sofa. The room was silent except for the hum of the PA and Colin cracking open the last can of  "beast".

"I think our band has a problem," Dan began, "Guys, we need to face the truth, we drink too much beer. And what's worse, we really drink way too much crappy beer."

Colin took a long pull on his can of lukewarm brew and said, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Guys, I've run the numbers and it turns out that if we just built our own brewery, we would actually SAVE money over the long haul. Instead of running to the Quick-ee mart every 45 minutes, we could brew our own supply. What's even better, you guys know I make the best beer so we wouldn't have to keep choking down this swill every Sunday morning".

Dan had a point. If he knows two things on this planet better than anybody, it's brewing beer and playing rock n roll. It was only logical. The rock n roll was covered, it was time to get some first class suds up in this place.

"I'm not gonna lie to ya fellas. This isn't going to be easy. It's gonna take a pretty big facility to produce the amount of sauce we need to keep this combo functioning properly. Good thing is I've found a spot right off 5th Avenue in Grandview. And you guys know how I visited hundreds of breweries during my touring days? I wasn't just drinking, I was taking notes and now I know exactly how I want to build it.. Rick, didn't you read a book once or something?"

"Actually Dan, I'm an engineer"

"That's Great Rick, You can help out. Colin and Herb, can you do me a solid and stay away from the brewery until I have a couple batches in the cooler? We'll never get any where with you guys around drinking everything"

Colin and Herb looked at each other and shrugged, "We'll do it on one condition, once the brewery is up and running, we'll do a show where we can drink as much of your beer as we want", said Herb.

Colin added, "yeah".

Dan said, "Gentlemen, it's a deal. Now who's up for a case of Keystone light? Herb, I'll buy if you fly?"

Please like "Four String Beer" on Facebook    http://www.facebook.com/fourstringbrewing 

Check out the Four String Website

Colin Gawel and the Lonely Bones will be performing at the Four String Brew tasting party at the Woodland's Tavern, Friday January 13th 6-8pm. The show is sold out, but if you really want to get in, drop us a line and we will see what we can do.

Colin Gawel plays in Watershed and The Lonely Bones. He moonlights as a coffee shop owner and writes these bloggy type things when there are no customers. colingawel.com