I live right above Credo and frequent it especially on weekends, where a freshly baked muffin and coffee are the perfect start to the day. They embrace a type of coffee called "Intelligentsia". What that boils down to is a company's vision to provide a more rigorous version of "Fair Trade", including a greater level of involvement of the buyers for the coffee and the producers of its supply. This is made with the conscious decision to associate with an ethical and sustainable way of procuring coffee beans from developing countries, so that wins a lot of points from me. It's also delicious coffee, so I'm glad that Credo has decided to serve it.
In my own observation, it can be difficult for a coffee shop to thrive in Edmonton for a few key reasons.
1. I work in an office tower in downtown Edmonton. Most people who buy coffee on a regular basis in my community want it fast, cheap, and to go. They usually have a taste for Starbucks or Tim Hortons, and there isn't anything wrong with this. Myself and the people I work around are busy and don't usually have the time to sit down and enjoy a proper coffee, and they don't drink it after work because it will interfere with their sleep schedule. But what this means is that local and unique coffee shops have staunch competition from the big chains, who can churn out liquid caffeine as cheaply and quickly.
2. Coffee shops aren't extremely lucrative. Individuals can go in, order a coffee for a few dollars, and sit there pretty much all day if they want. In Italy, coffee shops (bars) have two sets of pricing for their coffee. You can pay the price to stand at the bar and drink your coffee, or you can pay the extra cost of sitting at a table there. I don't necessarily like that set-up, but it mitigates the costs of leasing and operating in a space that isn't taking in huge quantities of cash.
3. Location is everything. Even being on one side of the street compared to another can have great effects on how many people visit the shop. Foot traffic, the demographic of people in the area, and accessibility can make or break a coffee shop. Even if a great product and awesome environment is available, like at the Jasper avenue location of Transcend which sadly just closed down, success is not guaranteed.
With those obstacles to overcome, I think Credo has done a fantastic job of setting itself up on 104th street. It is certainly my favorite coffee in the city, and it's made properly. Their fresh baked goods are delicious and the interior is neatly decorated with pieces of local art, which can be bought. It's always clean and efficient in there and it has a healthy environment which is geared towards a notion of sustainability, a common trend by several establishments on 104th. It's a nice place to get quality coffee to go, and also to sit and visit with a friend for a bit.
I must mention the drawbacks though. The staff don't usually seem all that friendly, or willing to engage anyone in actual discourse. I understand that it must be busy and that working on your feet making coffee all day may not be the most fun job in the world. But I would like to see more of an effort to build a community and do more than just offer a product and take money in exchange. More smiles, more friendly interaction, and more conversation would really help solidify this business as a local treasure. The other drawback is that their cups for coffee to stay can be nigh impossible to drink from without risking burns or spilled hot liquid. The large cups are wide and shallow, and when filled to the brim are tricky to balance. They have a teensy handle that I can only fit one finger through (maybe I have big fat sausage fingers), and since the cups get so hot it's actually painful to try to hold and steady it. Am I nitpicking? I don't know, I spilled coffee on myself like three times when I was there once and left humiliated. So I'm blaming the cups!
But overall, a great business. I gave it 5 stars on the rating, but the drawbacks I mentioned would make it more like 4.5 out of 5. read more