Coffeeshop Crushes: Tales of Love and Lust in Coffee Establishments

"Who among us has not fallen deeply in love, if only for a fleeting two minutes, with the cutie making our drink at the local coffeeshop? Certainly, it’s happened to us all. Coffeeshop Crushes is devoted to these fleeting fancies and is one of the most charming zines I’ve read in recent memory. Let’s be clear: it’s not a new release, this one has been around for a while now. BUT, if you’ve not picked one up at your local independent bookstore you should. I’ll now tell you why. If you’re anything like me, you take a certain pleasure in reading ‘Missed Connections’ sections of Craigslist or The Stranger. This zine reads just like that… you don’t miss out on any of the voyeurism that you secretly crave. In addition to small, personal stories, there’s a mix of comics in here two also telling the tales of (often non-reciprocated) love. Printed on creme paper with brown ink, the whole presentation is just A+ for only three bucks, too. If you have spent any amount of time at your local coffeehouse gazing hopelessly at someone who doesn’t even know you exist, pick this up now.
(As an aside, perfect rainy-day/Labor Day reading.)"

I just ducked into this coffee shop on the way to the train. I'm running a little late but it's so nice to just sit here and look around. The days of hanging around all day in coffee shops and record stores are long over for me but right now I'm having a moment. It's pouring rain outside, the coffee shop workers are singing along to The Supremes, I'm in the middle of a crossword puzzle, and there are some cute coffee drinkers here today. I have a copy of this adorable zine from years ago called Coffee Shop Crushes where in comic and short story form various artists and zinesters tell their stories of café love. I went looking around and found that Microcosm Publishing rereleased it earlier this year. Submissions include Nicole Georges (Invincible Summer), Shannon Wheeler (Too Much Coffee Man), Greig (Clutch), Aaron Renier (Spiral Bound), and Brad Adkins (Charm Bracelet). Buy from Microcosm directly and stay dry if you're in New York.

"I have a copy of this adorable zine from years ago called Coffee Shop Crushes where in comic and short story form various artists and zinesters tell their stories of café love."

“There are a lot of neurotic people in the world. Most of them can only get work at coffee shops. The rest drink copious amounts of coffee. The coffee servers and the coffee drinkers try to mate, but it rarely works out. This anthropological and historic work is beautifully printed on light brown paper with dark brown ink.”

"This is a reprint (2001) of a single-issue publication, offered up by Microcosm, and it’s exactly what the title says. Mostly prose with a handful of comics. Very nicely done, beautiful cover art, and looks like 25 or so contributors. What’s best about this is the topic invites a lighthearted vulnerability you don’t often see from such a diverse group in concert very often."

This zine was ok, but "You're Too Weird" grossed me out...and no, it wasn't because the characters were gay. I'd be equally disgusted by hetero characters, so feel free to call me a prude or whatever, because I don't care. :P

cute anthology... maybe you allow me to retype Tea instead of coffee ? it would be better.

I especially love the comics where characters hang out in coffesshop for crushes, when they don't actually drink any coffee !

Here's to hoping this will restock in the near future? The description alone makes me smile, and I'd love to find a copy and read it myself.

I totally flippin' relate to this zine. There's something about an individual serving me caffeine that makes them so much more appealing. Rawr.

adorable and funny

this was really cute.

after reading this zine, i just want to go to a coffee shop everyday and fall in love

Sweet & light, definately over a cup of coffee in a public restaurant. Someone must make sequels: elevator crushes, public bathroom crushes.

A one-off zine from 2001 reprinted in April by Microcosm Publishing with a few new additions, cataloging the sometimes awkward, sometimes painful interaction between the java we love and the dreamboats who sell it. Edited by Nicole J. Georges and Jon Van Oast, the zine is split between amusing anecdotes about secret crushes and illustrated comics that chart jittery attempts to gain the attention of beloved baristas. While a good many of the crushes remain simply that, a few gain purchase as lusty encounters of promise that end with embarrassing failures or broken hearts. As one such account concludes: "After a week and a half of coffee themed hot sex, I decided to declare my love. I was more surprised than he. He said 'You know you're cute and all, but.... You're just too weird for me.'"