The Urban Cup brings great coffee and tasty soup to Lansing

If you love coffee, then Lansing has lots of coffee shops where can get a great cup of coffee. But if you're interested in a chance to enjoy a little education with your java, then you need to stop by The Urban Cup, where Rob Flanders would love to share a little of his passion for the bean with you. As the owner/operator of Rudy Baggs Coffee Roasting Co., Flanders has been roasting and selling small batches of coffee to Lansing coffee fans for well over a decade, so he knows exactly what he's talking about.

Curious about the difference between Arabica versus Robusta? Rob can explain it to you. Want to try a few samples of full bodied coffees, versus 'light and bright' varieties? Rob would love to share those with you, and answer any questions you have about them. It's partly because he's a coffee lover and enjoys sharing his knowledge. But it's also because he's a people lover, and this offers him an opportunity to build relationships in his community. And relationship is what it's all about for Rob.

"Our primary focus is meeting people's needs." Flanders explains. "We want to be the kind of place that people come because they know we'll always work to create their perfect cup of coffee." The key in that sentence is 'their cup.' Because everyone's perfect cup of coffee is different. It's a point that Sarah Blastic, the general manager, says is very important to their approach. "We don't brew coffee for everyone," she points out, "we brew your coffee just for you!"

Sounds delicious? Good, because it is. But made to order coffee and handcrafted tea blends aren't all they offer that tastes great. The Urban Cup also offers soups and sandwiches provided by the Soup Spoon Cafe. It's actually a tasty collaboration between three people who love Lansing and want to better the communities they live in - Scott Abramouski, who owns the building that houses M43 Fitness and the Urban Cup, Rob Flanders, who runs the Urban Cup and has been roasting coffee for the Soup Spoon Cafe for about 10 years, and Nick Gavriledes, owner of the Soup Spoon.

And don't forget about the weekly coffee subscription. "Coffee is really only fresh for about a week." Flanders says, "so we roast coffee in small batches and offer it as part of a subscription program." So how does it work? You sign up and once a week the Urban Cup will roast coffee in small batches (you get to request the beans you prefer). They let you know when your beans have been roasted and rested, and are ready for pick up. You swing by on your way home from work and pick up your fresh, delicious beans, all ready for that perfect cup of coffee - your way.


Source: Rob Flanders, Co-Owner, The Urban Cup
Writer: Sarah Hillman, News Editor, Capital Gains

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