If you haven’t tried the Mule, give it a chance

This morning I stopped by Dancing Mule Coffee in Springfield, Missouri, on the way to work. Because it’s on the other side of town from my typical path, I have to intentionally go out of my way to get over there, and I usually only make it once a week, but more and more, I look forward to the visit. Dancing Mule is a relative newcomer to the Springfield coffee market, but I’m impressed with the way they’re working hard to become a coffee place for every coffee drinker.

Dancing Mule is in a high traffic location on Glenstone, just south of Sunshine, north of Seminole. It’s within sight of Aunt Martha’s and the Brown Derby Wine Center, and it’s across the street from CD Warehouse and the Plaza Shopping Center. They’ve taken advantage of that high traffic locale by offering a drive-thru window, and I find that drive-thru window compelling for bringing in new customers. Some people might be more inclined to swing through the drive thru on the first try than to walk in, and the drive through is very accessible from the road.

But Dancing Mule has also done a good job in their menu offerings. They offer a wide range of scones and baked good in their bakery case. I’m hooked on their scones, especially the glazed Maple Walnut (for the sweet tooth) or the Sausage Cheddar (for a more home-cooked breakfast feel). Their drink menu is broad as well, offering everything from lattes, mochas and chai teas and more (all with fun names) to the single origin drip always on tap. Their staff members are friendly and creative and can make up something they think will fit your palette, and these days I often just let them create a new “barista’s choice” drink for me to see what they come up with.

The people I usually see at Dancing Mule are generally middle age people in couples or “meetup with a friend” mode, and I’m realizing that Dancing Mule is connecting with the average coffee drinker who just wants a good drink and something to eat but don’t need anything fancy. Isn’t that the Ozarks by definition? They’ve done a good job of creating a welcoming atmosphere that regular people can enjoy. And they offer events for the public on occasion, such as the Cash & Cakes for Charity $5 pancake breakfasts they offer on the first Sunday morning of each month to support charity, as well as the live classical guitarist they’re offering on Saturday mornings.

One more thing if you stop by: please be sure to check out their retail merchandise shelf. For the coffee geeks who are at Dancing Mule for their single origin on drip (utilizing a high-end water purification system, I might add), Dancing Mule consistently carries power grinders, French presses, Chemex manual pourover brewers, and today they also had a Hario hand grinder and a Hario ceramic pourover brewer (that I was on the verge of buying). In addition, they have a good selection of PT’s Coffee by the pound available for purchase. I appreciate coffee shops that carry the equipment to that help people make better coffee at home, and Dancing Mule fits that bill.

If you haven’t been to Dancing Mule Coffee, give it a try when you’re in the neighborhood. You don’t have to go in and sit down — I’ll often run through the drive thru at night when I’m nearby on a date with my wife.