FAQs
We get asked all sorts of questions, some of which pertain to our drinks or the other stuff we sell, and some a little more random. We’ve tried to address most of the common inquiries here, but if you have a burning question that keeps you up at night and don’t see the answer, please, by all means, ask away!
All About the Drinks
Drinks
Do your smoothies have dairy/what’s in there?
It’s a real fruit concentrate sweetened with cane sugar – no dairy unless requested.
What’s a frappe/creme slush?
They are both similar in taste to a milkshake but made with milk and ice as opposed to ice cream. The frappe and creme slush are made with the same ingredients except that the frappe has coffee and the creme slush does not.
What can I do for a lighter/diet type drink option?
For any drink with milk in it you can request it to be made with skim. All drinks made with chocolate or white chocolate can substitute a sugar free version. These syrup flavors also have sugar free options: Strawberry, Raspberry, Vanilla, Caramel, and Hazelnut. Additionally you can always request no whipped cream to save on some calories and sugar.
Can I get a ____________ in decaf?
Any coffee drink can be regular or decaf.
When will you have bubble tea?
We hope to have bubble tea in the near future. If you have other drink suggestions or requests just let us know and we will consider it, though we do have limited space, which has some effect on what we offer.
What’s the difference between your macchiato and a Starbucks macchiato?
Starbucks’ macchiato is made with espresso, milk, vanilla syrup, froth, and caramel drizzle (the essential equivalent to our latte). Our macchiato is made in the traditional European way – just espresso and froth, which is much stronger than a latte.
Products & Miscellaneous
Products and Miscellaneous
Can we buy some of your amazing coffee beans?
You bet! We have whole beans or we can grind it for you. You can get 1/4, 1/2, or 1 lb.
Do you have a private room we could use?
When we first opened, our back room was available to be used for reservations, however, we quickly realized we needed it for office space. We are happy to reserve a section of the main coffee house on request. Birthday parties, jewelry parties, scrap-booking classes, sushi tasting, and Bible studies are just a few examples of group activities we’ve enjoyed hosting in our space. There is no cost to reserve a spot, but we’re sure your group will enjoy some of the many products we offer =)
Art & Music
Art
Do you have a space to display my art or to sell my ____________?
We currently are not looking for new artists, but if you provide your name and number, we can contact you if something opens up. Feel free to contact us regarding commission type sales, as we can discuss possibilities.
Can my band play here?
That is a likely possibility, as we do have live music periodically. Please contact us for booking information.
Our Awesome Suppliers
Suppliers
Where do you get your coffee?
Hemisphere Coffee Roasters is a great company with wonderful values and a number of ties to this community. They truly care about helping their coffee farmers, and we are happy to be a part of supporting that by using HCR as our supplier!
Who makes your chocolate?
The Lyndon (who happens to be Rhonda’s brother) & Mattie Hershberger family of Kalona Chocolates are the artisans behind our exquisite chocolate offerings.
Where do you get your pastries?
Rhonda’s aunt, Marilyn Bender, provides us with our pastries and subs from the Kalona Bakery. 
Where do you get your yummy ice cream?
We agree, it’s our favorite! We love supporting local business, so we’re happy to have Heyns in Iowa City as our ice cream supplier.
Who does your promotional material and design work?
We work exclusively with David & Christina of Kaleidoscope International who are long-time friends and also happen to have a cool multifaceted business that rocks our business identity!
Atmostphere & Décor
Atmosphere
When are you going to get better mood lighting?
We have actually found that the lighting we have is well suited to some of our more life-experienced customers, but we hope to look into the options for creating a nicer evening atmosphere once we have a better idea of our building permanence.