#SAVEHIGHLAND

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People of Highland Coffees: Lloyd Moffett

"Highland Coffees defines the tone of this area. It's been here for so long and so many people have stories and memories related to it. I think losing it would be a huge tragedy."

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I worked there from '97 - '00.  The place is a community.  Clarke has created something unmatched across the country.  I met people there that literally changed my life- not to mention the impact that Clarke himself had on me as a young person.  Plus, I met my wife from the other side of the world there, so in a way, Highland Coffees is responsible for the existence of my kids!  

This would be an unimaginable loss for Baton Rouge and the neighborhood.   

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My Highland Coffees Story

I wasn't the happiest LSU student.  I came to LSU to work on my third degree, and I was tired of academia by then.  What began as apathy quickly transformed into a quiet hostility, as I was aggravated with myself for taking so long to complete my studies and enter the workforce.  What saved me from needless wallowing in self-pity over decisions that were no one's fault but my own?  It might sound far-fetched to you, but it was a coffee shop.  I fell in love with Highland Coffees from the start of my college career at LSU--everything from the large windows, to the delicious frozen coffee with the crushed espresso beans, to the baristas who were always friendly enough to lift my spirits when I was weary.  It's a haven for the introverted, because I felt free to offer others polite greetings and small talk before I buried myself in a book.  A somewhat older student disillusioned by college life, I found a second home there.  I could enjoy the benefits of the company of strangers and the constant hum of conversation around me, warm up with sweet and spicy chai, and contemplate why any sane person would choose to pursue two masters degrees.  I could morph myself into a hermit, but Highland Coffees visits reminded me that there was a world out there whenever I was ready to participate in it again. When I settled into school and embraced extroversion, Highland Coffees was still ideal.  I went on my first date with my first girlfriend there.  I met with classmates to discuss projects.  Not long after graduation, when I began my first job as a librarian, my parents offered to take me out to eat when my first day came to a close.  I asked them to meet me at Highland Coffees, where I had become convinced that everything in both my LSU and professional lives began and ended. That is why I was heartbroken to learn that Hank Saurage, the owner of the building that houses Highland Coffees, and the shop's owner, Clark Cadzow, have not reached an agreement that would allow Cadzow to renew his lease.  I think that integral to one's identity is place, and that Highland Coffees has become part of who I am.  I sincerely hope that the two of them can reach an agreement that will allow thousands of others who love the shop to continue to enjoy it, as well as the many students who've yet to come to LSU and Baton Rouge. 

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The World inside a coffee shop

I spent almost every day of my 4 years at LSU at Highland. It was my place to study, to relax,to come and talk to people there, to meet my dates, to meet with my study groups and professors and discuss projects. It it the place I tell people about now that I no longer live in Louisiana. I compare all the coffee shops to Highland now and to be honest, no one has compared yet. No chain place will ever compare to the uniqueness of highland. It has 25 years of history and it shows. It is a place where multiple generations share something in common, where you will see a 65 year old playing chess with teenagers, where you see people of different cultural backgrounds, ages, genders, political and religious beliefs - all having peace and common grounds. Highland is like a picture of a perfect little universe. It is the World we all want to live it. Do not take it away from us!

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People of Highland Coffees: John Wirt

John Wirt has been coming to Highland Coffees since 1992.

"It's the best coffee shop I've ever experienced. It has the best coffee, and it's the best place to work on a meaningful project." John has tested his assertion himself. Over the past few years, he wrote his book while sitting in Highland Coffees. The biography of a New Orleans legend, Huey "Piano" Smith and the Rocking Pneumonia Blues was accepted by the LSU Press in 2014 and has received positive reviews from Austin to Philadelphia. It's no surprise that Highland is a friend to the arts. Just beside the pastry counter sits a display of books celebrating the long tradition of LSU writers, from Robert Penn Warren to Andrei Codrescu and Moira Crone. The New Criticism of literary studies was first discussed at LSU during the 1930s by Robert Penn Warren and Cleanth Brooks, founders of The Southern Review, and is still applied in literature departments across the country. Clarke shares this legacy with old and new customers alike. He can stand outside the shop and point to the apartment Warren kept--maybe even while he dreamed of All the King's Men, the American classic exploring Huey P. Long's complicated legacy.

In a time beyond Robert Penn Warren and Cleanth Brooks, Highland Coffees provides a clean, well-lighted place for the next generation of Louisiana authors.

Photo & Story by Laura Smith.

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Too Many to Recall

In the recent past, I gathered a few classmates from LSU’s School of Library and Information Science and we formed a social/knitting group which met on Tuesday evenings every week. As our group grew, Clarke would help us secure enough tables and chairs and always welcome us with a smile. In addition to those Tuesday evening group meetings, I spent more than a few hours at HC studying for exams, brainstorming with study groups, and simply just enjoying the ambience of the place while sipping the best-tasting coffee anywhere. My husband and I have always made HC a destination while out bike-riding on hot days. We always enjoy sitting under the arbor sipping frozen blended mocha coffees … mmmmmmmm!

I have also gotten to know Clarke by way of his historic collection of Chimes Street/ North Gate photos and information. I have helped him locate possible sources for more photos and encouraged him to publish a book. I have told him more than once that after I retire I’d like to help him put such a book together.

How do you say goodbye to a friend like Highland Coffees? It’s so much more than just a coffee shop. After all, there are numerous coffee shops in the area. My theory is that the others in the area only exist BECAUSE Highland Coffees does - people go to HC first and if they can’t find a table or chair indoors or out, only then will they head to one of the other coffee shops.

Besides offering the best tasting coffee, HC also offers the best in homemade pastries. By giving HC one’s business, there’s a line of other locally owned businesses which benefit. From free gallery space, to a counter for local information about arts and events, to delicious coffee, to people-watching, there’s just no comparison between Highland Coffees and any other business in Baton Rouge.

I hope Hank Saurage will renegotiate with Clarke in good faith. We don’t need any additional revolving doors of failing restaurants in that space.

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I had honestly not known how awesome Highland was when I applied to work there in June 2007. I had maybe set foot in the shop a few times at this point. Clarke called me for an interview and it ended up lasting OVER TWO HOURS. At that point, I knew that this place was special. The fact that Clarke so thoroughly vets his employees shows that he is really dedicated to making sure that he selects a staff that is conscientious and will take care of his customers. When I accepted the position, I had no idea how special it really was, and thoroughly enjoyed working for Clarke and working with the really special people I met during my three years at Highland. I am very proud to be a Highland Coffees alumna!

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People of Highland Coffees: Maryland Batiste

It’s hard to think of anyone more recognizable in Highland Coffees than Maryland Batiste. A long time Highland supporter, Maryland has been warming hearts at the shop since 1992. You can normally find him on the armchairs by the door, headphones on, listening to music on his computer (a donation from a Highland regular), or on the courtyard telling stories to friends and strangers.

“Clarke has done a lot because he helps people in so many ways and knows all about the community,” says Maryland while sipping on tea. “I was sad when I got the news [about the closing].”

Over the years Maryland has become close friends with virtually every Highland employee. Two years ago Highland employees, alumni, and shop regulars set up a fund to pay for Maryland’s new dentures. With Clarke’s blessing and support, and donations from the community, the fund raised several thousand dollars and Maryland got a new smile in July of 2013. 

“We don’t need to lose this institution,” says Maryland, “it’s like family and a home away from home. If we lose this place, I wouldn’t know what to do.

Photos by Claire Elyse Photography

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Locals rally to save Highland Coffees

By Nick BeJeaux On September 29, Highland Coffees, a cultural fixture of the Northgate community, announced it would close its doors forever on Christmas Eve. For 25 years, the shop’s owner, Clarke...

Read it now!

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Anonymous Love

Highland Coffees is a great intellectual center in Baton Rouge. It’s a place where you can find people of many different countries and backgrounds playing chess or discussing history. It’s one of the few places in the city where I feel relaxed, and it’s the place where I met most of the friends I have.

-- Submitted anonymously by a member of the LSU staff

I have been a Highland customer since it opened its doors in 1989. The coffee is beyond compare. Very few people go to the lengths Clarke goes to in order to select a high quality coffee and roast the beans in house. The nature of the atmosphere is incomparable. There is a great sense of community - almost family - at the shop, where I have made friends for life. It is a great melting pot of people and ideas. It is the single most urban location in Baton Rouge, with a mixture of different races, economic backgrounds, and alternative ideas. A community like this wouldn’t happen in any other situation, be it a restaurant, a retail store, etc.

-- Submitted anonymously by a longtime member of the Highland Community

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Highland is one of the most diverse places in Baton Rouge. At any given moment you can find people of vastly different ethnicities, creeds, and political views coming together for conversation.

My favorite thing about Highland though is Clarke. He’s the sweetest, most welcoming, friendly business owner I have ever encountered, and he does so much for the community. Losing Highland isn’t just losing a coffee shop. Losing Highland is losing Clarke and the support the community receives from him every day. You can’t put monetary value on what he does/has done for the North Gates and Baton Rouge in general.

I love Highland, and I don’t even drink coffee (though I hear it’s the best in town).

‪#‎highlandcupchallenge‬ ‪#‎savehighlandcoffees‬ ‪#‎shareyourstory‬

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Bean bags

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THE HIGHLAND CUP CHALLENGE In order to continue showing Clarke community support and to catalog the ways in which Highland Coffees serves its community, I challenge the following people to the Highland Cup Challenge. You have 48 hours to post your own “drop in Highland’s cup”—YOUR Highland story along with a picture of a coffee cup (preferably from Highland!)—OR to visit the shop for a treat! Be sure to tag your friends and keep the stories coming! MY DROP IN HIGHLAND’S CUP:  Highland Coffees has been a part of my life ever since moving to Baton Rouge over 8 years ago. I worked across the street in Pleasant Hall, and it made a handy and tasty stop every morning for a muffin and a cup of delicious coffee. If I had known the ways it would serve me and enrich my life over the course of the next 8 years - from analyzing symphonies, translating German texts, cramming for organic finals, to hearing poetry, music, and making connections with all sorts of people. As a musician in Baton Rouge, Clarke’s support of the local art and music scene has been invaluable to me. Every time we have play a gig in town, Highland is the first place I drop off a flyer and handbills, and the staff is always excited and friendly about helping me post them in the store. And no matter how long I am away from Highland Coffees, I know that I can walk in that door at any moment and instantly reconnect with any number of some of the most loving, warm, intelligent, interesting people I have met while living here.  There is no other place on Earth like Highland. It is beyond special - it is a phenomenon of positive energy and love. Having to say goodbye to it under these circumstances is a cruel injustice to the heart and soul of Baton Rouge, but I know that whatever happens, the spirit of Highland will live on and continue to positively impact the people of this city.   #highlandcupchallenge #savehighlandcoffees #shareyourstory

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"..But if a fatter bottom line means an impoverished cultural community, is it worth it? Jive Flamingo wholeheartedly believes the answer is “no,” and we support Highland Coffees– a business which provides an important space for connection, creative and otherwise, in Baton Rouge, and which was also an enthusiastic supporter of the first ever JiveFest." Thanks for your support, Jive Flamingo!  #listenlocalBR #SaveHighlandCoffees

http://jiveflamingo.wordpress.com

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This is Frederick Moxley III. Frederick is regular at the shop. He is brainy like really brainy. 

I recently ran into Frederick at Highland last week after not seeing him in the shop for a while. We spent a few minutes catching up and talking about the future of Highland Coffees. I asked him how he’d been and why hadn’t he been in to fill up his large white tea kettle. 

Frederick told me that he finally finished the invention he worked on tirelessly for months at Highland Coffees. He explained to me, in the best way that he could, (I’m not a science chick…or math chick) his invention and how it can change the world.

I congratulated him and wished him the best of luck. Frederick then told me "If it wasn’t for Highland [Coffees] who knows if I would’ve been able to do any of this."

I just wanted to remind everyone that important things happen at Highland Coffees. 

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Ladies and Gentlemen, The Polarition Interferometer. http://bit.ly/1yF7kox

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Highland Coffees Threatened with Closing

“People have asked me what makes our shop different,” said Cadzow. “Part of it is the product. We buy fresh coffee beans that we roast ourselves, we buy good teas and pastries. But mostly I think it’s our atmosphere. This may sound corny, but I think the main thing is that our customers feel appreciated and even loved.”

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"Not just a coffee shop, but one of the few true "conversational spaces" for people from all walks of life in Baton Rouge, LA. Extremely unique as a place being equally welcoming for both LSU students and the general populace of Baton Rouge. A reason for people to travel from elsewhere to visit the North Gate neighborhood, Visit Baton Rouge, attend LSU, and stick around the city after graduation."

http://squishtalks.com/2013/06/27/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-conversational-space/

- Ben Herrington

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