Right off the CityScape light rail stop at Washington Street and Central Avenue is One Coffee Co., one of the many local coffee houses in downtown Phoenix. Home to one of the best chai lattes with almond milk, it is well worth the visit. However, its hours are limited during non-business hours, making it more difficult for students to plan coffee trips here. Its bathrooms, which it shares with the complex it is in, also shares the corporate feel that personifies the rest of the building.
A warning that would be wise to heed.
The Restroom Roundup
Cleanliness: For all the traffic it receives, this bathroom is impeccably clean. However, scuff marks adorn the entirety of the floor, making me wonder if someone practices tap dancing in the room (because there is little reason for scuff marks to be in the most remote corners).
Grade: A-
The Green Effect: While many bathrooms in the Phoenix community have the excuse of being historic and having been built prior to the earth-friendly era, this toilet has no excuse for its lack of greenness. If there are green techniques being utilized, it is not apparent to the naked eye. Grade: D
Pizazz: Corporate bathrooms love their tile, and this one is no exception. An odd tile arrangement forms to create some sort of symbol. What does it mean? Perhaps nothing, perhaps something.
Unfortunately, there is no coat hanger on the bathroom door, but there is a bar code. Does this mean I can purchase the door or bathroom? If I could buy a coffee shop’s bathroom my life would be near complete.
To remedy the no-coat-hanger problem, the countertop is incredibly large and incredibly sparkly. If you are someone who gets distracted easily by sparkly things, like Edward Cullen, I would recommend directing your eyes somewhere other than the countertop. Grade: C+
Not for those who are easily distracted by sparkly things.
The Intangibles: During my stay in the individual unisex bathroom, about 3,459,879 people attempted to open the door. Luckily for me, a rather bold sign recommends, “After Entering Lock the Door Behind You.” I’ve never been more glad to have heeded the advice of a sign.
Most restrooms have a normal-looking light switch, which is sometimes paired with a switch for the fan. However, this bathroom, has two novel-looking black switches, one with an illuminating green light and one with a red light. I was tempted to see what would happen if I pressed the switches, but fear kept me from experimenting. Press if you dare.
Perhaps one of the most interesting facets of the bathroom is that One Coffee Co. shares a bathroom with the rest of its building’s first floor. This unique sharing of space illustrates that both corporate offices and small, local businesses such as a coffee shop can work together to conserve resources and combine various aspects of the community. To reach the bathroom, one has to leave the coffee shop, walk down a hallway and pass a mailroom and other ambiguously labeled corporate doors. If you bring your resume, you might be able to stop by a few of them and market yourself for a job or summer internship. Grade: A
Final Verdict (not an average): B+
Although the artwork that makes One Coffee Co.’s interior unique is lacking in its bathroom, its use of shared space with other businesses makes the restroom special. After using the toilet, explore around and see what you can find.
