The love affair between music and coffee is a long, storied romance. Writing for the CBC in 2019, journalist Melody Lau explored this topic in depth, revealing that both coffee and music “access the pleasure and reward centres in our brains, helping release the neurotransmitter chemical known as dopamine.” We here at Sprudge have written heaps about coffee and music over the years, from a cheeky definitive all-time coffee songs list to coffee pun grindcore bands to coffee-loving hip hop artist Propaganda, and much more, including the music-influenced design world of Sprudgie Award winning roaster Three Keys Coffee.
Today on Build-Outs of Coffee we’re taking a look at another intersection between coffee and music, this time courtesy of Memphis record label Court Square Recordings, whose founder, Samuel Aroutiounian, has worked with a remarkable who’s who of recording artists from Mariah Carey to Frank Ocean, Prince (may he Rest In Purple) and Alicia Keys. Now Court Square is opening up a new coffee bar in Memphis called Good Morning Gorgeous—let’s take a closer look.
The 2021 edition of Build-Outs is presented by Fellow. The series is sponsored by La Marzocco, Pacific Barista Series, Marco Beverage Systems, Dona, and Sustainable Harvest.
As told to Sprudge by Good Morning Gorgeous.
For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?
Good Morning Gorgeous is an outgrowth of Court Square Recordings, a new recording studio/label created by Creative Talent Management. We are focused on providing the community with special experiences in the realms of concerts, music, and now coffee.
Can you tell us a bit about the new space?
Vacant for 30 years after a long life as the Memphis Photo Supply, 123 S Court called for something public in front of the recording studio we had in mind to build. So we created a coffee shop with overhead windows opening to the park, an Art Deco living room vibe, and the best quality products we could get our hands on.
What’s your approach to coffee?
Coffee is an art as well as a science. Every detail contributes to a great cup and therefore a great customer experience. We try to pay attention to the usual things—grind setting, dosage, time, and yield—but also love a good 15-second pre-infusion and lower bars of pressure.
Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?
Mavam Mach Two, the first in Memphis, Curtis G4, and workhorse grinders.
How is your project considering sustainability?
We want to recycle, and view sustainability as an all encompassing objective. We want this to last forever, and to do our part to make sure we aren’t soiling the beautiful planet we’ve built this on.
What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?
June 2021.
Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?
Our architect, Bjarne Mastenbroek, is a well known Dutch architect who has designed some lovely embassies and residences throughout Europe. Our contractor, Jon Meredith, had his hands in the building of, among other studios, Abbey Road Studio A. We work with a variety of creatives and are definitely creative ourselves. Che is a musician with his first album coming out this year, Samuel is a talent producer with many experiences with household names under his belt, and Stewart plays trumpet for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes while staying busy with session work.
Thank you!
Thank you for your consideration!
The 2021 edition of Build-Outs is presented by Fellow. The series is sponsored by La Marzocco, Pacific Barista Series, Marco Beverage Systems, Dona, and Sustainable Harvest.
