Peet’s CofFree: 1 to 3pm Today
Peet’s Coffee turns 40 today. They’ll be handing out cofFree from 1 to 3pm. If you didn’t know, Peet’s is basically the great bearded grandaddy of Starbucks:
In the early months, each of the founders traveled to Berkeley to learn more about coffee roasting from their mentor, Alfred Peet, who urged them to keep deepening their knowledge of coffees and teas. For most of the first year, Starbucks ordered its coffee beans from Peet’s, but then the partners purchased a used roaster from Holland and set up roasting operations in a nearby ramshackle building.*
It is physically possible to obtain eight free coffees between 1 and 3pm today — replete with nervous system shakes that will last well into the midnight hour — by adhering to the following route:
Start at Peet’s Beverly Hills. At precisely 1pm, run inside and order up a free cup. Get out immediately. Make a left on Wilshire and haul it to Peet’s Westwood Village. Parking can be a problem here. Leave the car running on the sidewalk. Get in, get the coffee, get out. You have absolutely no time for PDiddyRiese cookies to complement this coffee. Don’t lie to yourself. Get back in your car. Proceed immediately down Westwood Blvd to Peet’s Westwood. Same drill. If you’re doing things right it should be about 1:35 at this point. Head to Peet’s Brentwood. Get the coffee. Down Montana to Peet’s Montana. Get the coffee. Over the 10 to Peet’s Edgemar. Somewhat uncomfortably say hello to Steve, the guy who under-the-table subletted an Ocean Park bungalow to me for a year. He’s always here. Marvel at the amazing breezy ugliness that is Geary’s Edgemar. Take a photo of the Galley [photo]. Stop dawdling. You have to get to south bay to Peet’s Manhattan, which will be a serious timesuck. Further, you need to ultimately cross the Vincent Thomas to Peet’s Belmont Shore, and you have less than 45 minutes to do so. Step to it.
Once you’ve hit your last Peet’s, relax. Slow things down. Your heart may explode at any minute. With all of the money you’ve saved today, buy a 40th anniversary commemorative mug. Fill it with Peet’s signature coffee. Stroll down to Starbucks. Stand outside, peer at everyone through the window and drink your coffee smugly, smugly.
Finally, if your name is Pete, make sure this is known in every Peet’s you frequent. “One small Peet’s for Pete, please.”
*source: this case study
more from wikipedia
