I am writing in response to the March 6 article “Two Ways To Have One Cup.” First off, I was not contacted by the author in a reliable way, and certainly would have responded had I known.  I feel it was unfair to run the story without my input, as Mojo Hill’s owner was given the opportunity.  And contrary to his view, there isn’t a benefit to starting a duplicate business on College Hill.  When I opened Cosmic there was no coffee shop here, so there was a clear need.  The coffee business isn’t anything like the pizza business.  I immersed myself in coffee culture and was mentored by other coffee shop owners so I could provide the best product.  I also got the proper barista training so I could train my staff to make the best espresso drinks possible.  We have a highly trained and diverse staff made up of college students and locals.  They have competed in latte art contests in Philadelphia and Rhode Island.  As a former college volleyball coach and college admissions officer, I knew I wanted my business to be part of the college community.  And Cosmic Cup has been part of the Lafayette community for nearly a decade and was the 2010 Aaron O’ Hoff Community Service Award recipient.  I believe I was recognized for participating in campus life through classroom lectures, TED talks and assisting students with projects in Honduras.  I love coffee, I love serving Lafayette students and look forward to being a part of campus life for another decade.
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Troy Reynard
Owner/Shaman
Two Rivers Brewing Company
Cosmic Cup Coffee Company