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"Espresso Train Master Chris McClellan" by Heather C. Akerberg
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Espresso Train MasterChris McClel lan
Snit:#lti on,oUnderwood Ave., on any
given morning and you'lllikely see a tall man donning a pair of black
horn-rimmed glasses behind the counter. With
his unassuming presence, you'd probabl;z never
guess that he's the engine that pulls the train.
In the summer of 2003, when Chris McClellan
opened Blue Line, he fulfilled a long-held
dream. While pursuing his studies in Paris and
the United States, McOlellan had always kept
in mind the idea of opening a coffee shop.
Chris, who holds a Ph.D. in history and phi-
losophy of science, returned to Omaha rn 2002.
A proponent of mass transportation and fan of
urban trains in particular, McClellan decided to
create a d6cor reminiscent of a train station'
"I really love late-Deco architecture, and
train stations in particular," he said.
The coffee shop's name is also a train refer-
ence, and you'll find images of trains mixed
among antique photos of Omaha on the walls.
Though the interior is cozy and unique, it's the
cofFee that really stands out'
Blue Line is one of a handful of cafes in
Omaha that offer Fair Trade Certified cof-
fee. Fair Trade Certified means that growers
continued on next Page
www.om ah a p ub l icat ions. com mayl junel2008 17
mayl junel2008
"l hypothesized that maybe freshnessreally matters-far more than the
origin or the al leged qual i ty level ofthe bean. So, that's when
I started roasting my own beansi'- Chr is McClel lan
continued from prcvious Page
receive a fair market price, that work-
ers receive fair wages and safe work
environments, and that environmentally
sustainable growing methods are used.
In the Fair Trade system, Chris pur-
chases his raw beans directly from the
growers, ensuring the freshest possible
bean.
McClellan is serious about coffee and
realized that after some substandard
coffee experiences, freshness is the key
for brewing a flavorful cup of coffee."I h;pothesized that maybe freshness
really matters.-far more than the origin
or the alleged quality level of the bean.
So, that's when I started roasting my
own beans," Chris said.
He began experimenting with differ-
ent roasting methods at home and knew
that when he opened a coffee shop,
roasting his own beans would be part of
the equation. In addition to a full menu
ofbrewed coffee and espresso drinks,
Blue Line Coffee also sells whole beans,
which are roasted by Chris every few
days."I'm finding out that [coffee] is like
wine, in the respect that a lot of the
well-known coffees are not worth what
they are charging.for them. Some of the
cheap coffees that aren't well-known
are really great, high-qualiqr coffees,"
he said.
McClellan will soon open a sec-
ond location, 749 N. l4'r' Street, in
the Saddle Creek Records complex.
Besides serving coffee and espresso, the
new location will offer a selection of
wine, port, cognac, liqueurs and French
brandies."l think o[ this place downtown as
more of a European-style caf6," said
Chris.
The downtown location will also
serve food, selected to be paired with
the wine and liqueurs. McClellan
hopes to stay open late like many of the
French cafes he frequented while in
Paris."I would love to be able to stay open
until 3 a.m. on weekends," he said.
They are in the final stages of con-
struction at the new location, but
there is currently no set opening date'
However, Chris asserts that it will be
soon."The day after I get my final
inspections and health department
inspection," Chris said, "I'm unlocking
the door and selling coffee." ouna
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