The Folger’s plant in Downtown Kansas City will be closing in 2011. Operations will be relocated to the Smuckers headquarters in Ohio to consolidate operations. While it of course will mean job loss for Kansas City, the locale will also loose an iconic building. The troops are rallying to save the historic structure. I first heard it from @ShellyKramer on Twitter who is local to the area, and there is hope that it wouldn’t be turned into condos.
I have my own proposal for the structure. Actually there are two. This would be the most awesome bed and breakfast. You know, it would be “The Best Part of Waking Up.” While most coffee operations would be moved to Ohio, maybe a small amount in small batches would be made here. It would be like going to one of those winery tours where you learn to brew your own wine. No secrets would be given out, but they could mix the different coffees to your preferences. There could be bins and they would mix you a bag or can of half caff/half decaf. Or maybe you want to mix Chocolate Silk and Cinnamon Swirl. Maybe you like them, but not a lot so you add half regular and have Chocolate. You take that home, and then you could order one there with whipped cream on the top. Some of the bedrooms would be industrial decor themed and some would be antiquey and cozy – whatever you chose.
Each room would have a theme. What about the “Scott Bakula Room?” If he is between tv and movie roles, he and his wife (not the actress pictured) perhaps stay there? Or would he sneak into your room and start brewing the coffee to wake you up and sneak out? (Commercial dates to 1985).
Of course, the upper floors would be the rooms, but they all wouldn’t be next to eachother. There may be rooms with glass cases and historic memorabilia in between. You wouldn’t want your romantic weekend spoiled by the people in the next room, would you? Or maybe a room would be really big so the whole scout troop would sleep over. Then, there would be the “business end” down below and a trendy coffee shop for people on the street who are not staying there. Of course you could order pastries made with Smucker’s Jelly in the middle of them and coffee. I haven’t decided if I would go with ubertrendy or would hang my hat on the industrial theme again.
Of course, they should leave some of the factory “as-is” for the museum element of it or truck in historical collectible memorabilia about Folger’s and Kansas City history and people would tour it. You just never know – It could be a really happening Bed and Breakfast/Coffee Shop/Museum and maybe even a funky place to have your wedding reception. Of course, there would be free coffee with the room rental but it would be BYOB or BYOF – Bring your own Beef or Bring Your Own Fish. Smuckers, the parent company is just not big on main courses.
See…lives are changed with Folger’s.
Follow me on Twitter @TheSnackHound “just because” and for updated news (Oh, and I need a few more followers before Twitter will let me follow more of you!), and follow @SaveFolgersKC too. I don’t drink coffee…but I brew it for the smell! (Oh, and I love historical buildings).
