February 9, 2018 (Jackson, Miss.) - Change is brewing at Belhaven's Shoe Bird Café. Northshore Specialty Coffee has moved in and is now serving delicious coffee, specialty drinks, kombucha, and more. Led by Doug Eltzroth, owner and head coffee roaster, Northshore wants the Shoe Bird to be a meeting place where students, staff, faculty, and the surrounding community can connect over coffee.
Quality and taste are key aspects of what characterize Northshore coffee. Eltzroth imports beans from around the world. “We import the industry's top three percent beans from places like Indonesia, Tanzania, Guatemala, and Columbia,” said Eltzroth. Once the beans come in, he and his talented team roast the coffee beans to exact specifications. Students get to enjoy fresh roasted coffee that have vastly different flavor profiles from around the world.
Coffee isn't the only thing on the menu. Northshore teamed-up with Sweet and Sauer, a local maker of kombucha, and offer different flavors of kombucha on tap. Northshore is also offering a unique drink that packs a caffeine punch, called nitro coffee. Specialty beverage company, Cascade, uses Northshore beans and concocts a creamy, cold and bold glass of coffee that is pressurized with nitrogen, then served on a tap system.
“I'm excited about what The Shoe Bird can offer to the Belhaven students, faculty, surrounding community,” said Eltzroth. “I'm anticipating that we will host our own events as well as support other departments and clubs. We would love for The Shoe Bird to become a venue where students can showcase their talents. Northshore is here to stay, but we have more coffee ideas in the hopper. We will always be working to grow as members of the community and inviting people to join us with a cup of coffee.”
Eltzroth has other inventive ideas he plans to roll-out later in the year such as gelato floats, pour-overs, and Vietnamese coffee drinks. Cold drip teas will be available soon and the usual hot teas are already on sale. Gelato is in the near future. According to Eltzroth, there will be many ways to enjoy the Italian treat, which include combinations of kombucha or espresso. Northshore has also teamed up with La Brioche, a bakery in the Fondren area, to bring students a select choice of pastries, sandwiches, and desserts.
Their love for coffee is equal to the love they wish to share with students. Manager and Lead Barista Ethan Jessee believes the revitalization of the Shoe Bird is an important part of Belhaven's campus life. “Coffee brings people together,” said Jessee. “I think coffee pushes us to talk more. I am of the opinion that most interpersonal problems can be solved with a good coffee chat, so my hope is that we can facilitate dialogue, which will then facilitate unity and community.”