October was truly a spooky month, in that I made no coffee crawl posts for you dear readers out there. That didn’t mean I didn’t go anywhere local – as this post will demonstrate, since I had visited this coffee shop on the 1st of October – but rather because sometimes life has a way of interrupting all that you want to accomplish. Or, at least, interrupting your brain and making you want to write less. But through overcoming blocks and struggles, life finds a way, and now I’m back to write more about the subtle loves of my life – coffee and community.
It’s almost akin to the story of this article’s coffee shop – Mechanism Coffee. Founded originally in Jamestown, NY in 2017, husband and wife duo Michael and Sarah had their dream coffee shop and roasting brand, but had thought about moving to our great sunshine state for a while. And so, in 2023, that’s exactly what they did – sold everything they owned, the coffeeshop and all, and then moved to Jacksonville to start their lives and brand anew. Their motto is that they believe that coffee is a mechanism to connect, unite, fuel, or whatever you so choose. I think that message extends greatly to the community of Jacksonville in general – wanting to connect everyone locally through various events, cultures, or simple cups of coffee from all these local shops. They certainly found their place here in our city.
Entering their location right near the IKEA – a part of town still being quite developed and expanded – the place was packed. It was perhaps my busiest stop so far on this trail, with every chair filled with people laughing and talking over drinks and food. It also made it the loudest place I had been to with all the activity, but it made it feel like such a beloved hangout spot for everyone in the area. The vibe in the store still felt chill and laid back, with most everyone just hanging out or business people from the buildings nearby taking their breakfasts or early lunches. All of the staff were extremely nice and welcoming. When I had talked about hearing about this place from the owners of Soul Coffee, my barista and cashier were excited and talked about Caissen of Soul very fondly. It was another example of how tight-knit and kind the community could be, with all the places I’ve been to, talking so sweetly about one another.
The food and drink I decided to get were the bacon, egg, and cheese bagel, and a mocha with caramel latte. They have several bagel options for their bagel sandwiches, so I chose an asiago bagel to see how well it’d complement the cheese, and I wasn’t disappointed. It was all cooked very well together, and surprisingly easy to chew. Normally for me, bagel sandwiches are either really hard to bite through or really messy, but this sandwich was neither of those things! Soft and held together extremely well, it makes me think the chefs at Mechanism are secret wizards who have mastered the bagel arts. All of the flavors also went very well together, with not one thing overpowering the other. The bacon was savory, the cheese added that smooth and creamy texture, and an egg always ties things together in a nice little bow. The mocha caramel latte was the right mixture of sauce and syrup – it wasn’t too chocolatey to overpower the caramel, which is exactly what I hope for in my go-to drink. Of course, it was sweet, but the coffee also showed through quite well, making it another perfect balance in a cute cup. It was also incredibly smooth, which proves how good the coffee and the barista making it are.
Speaking of the coffee itself – as well as all the ingredients shown off in this article – all of it is made in-house! Mechanism has its own coffee that they grow and roast themselves, which you can also buy in stores and online on their website, for personal use and wholesale use in your company or place of business. You can even sign up for a monthly “Roaster’s Choice” coffee subscription plan with them, in case you can’t decide on what coffee you want to order from them, as they have a wide variety of roasts to choose from. They also sell their own merchandise of their brand, as well as sell coffee equipment so you can have easy access to various ways of making coffee, even at home.
Mechanism Coffee found its way here to Jacksonville, and the community opened its arms to the brand instantly. Now, as what feels like such a staple in their area and with their outreach through their online store, I’m sure Mechanism will continue to connect people through the love of coffee and fuel the minds of many. With my mind having been given a little reset, it’s certainly ready to be refueled by many of the other local stores our huge city has to offer.
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A local girl with a love of writing and food, who has transitioned into writing articles about all the local food spots, in order to encourage everyone to explore and take in the tastes of their community! With a bachelor’s degree in Communications & Media from FSCJ and a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies – Film & Screenwriting, I hope to get the community more engaged with their surroundings and take in all they have to offer! I’m glad if any of my articles encourage anyone to try new things or get out into the world!
Roughly bi-weekly uploads, but also taking everything one day at a time and going at my own pace~ Also will cover more than just food; looking forward to all of the local events I can attend on our First Coast as well!
