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Espresso Train MasterChris McClel lan

Snit:#lti on,oUnderwood Ave., on any

given morning and you'lllikely see a tall man donning a pair of black

horn-rimmed glasses behind the counter. With

his unassuming presence, you'd probabl;z never

guess that he's the engine that pulls the train.

In the summer of 2003, when Chris McClellan

opened Blue Line, he fulfilled a long-held

dream. While pursuing his studies in Paris and

the United States, McOlellan had always kept

in mind the idea of opening a coffee shop.

Chris, who holds a Ph.D. in history and phi-

losophy of science, returned to Omaha rn 2002.

A proponent of mass transportation and fan of

urban trains in particular, McClellan decided to

create a d6cor reminiscent of a train station'

"I really love late-Deco architecture, and

train stations in particular," he said.

The coffee shop's name is also a train refer-

ence, and you'll find images of trains mixed

among antique photos of Omaha on the walls.

Though the interior is cozy and unique, it's the

cofFee that really stands out'

Blue Line is one of a handful of cafes in

Omaha that offer Fair Trade Certified cof-

fee. Fair Trade Certified means that growers

continued on next Page

www.om ah a p ub l icat ions. com mayl junel2008 17

mayl junel2008

"l hypothesized that maybe freshnessreally matters-far more than the

origin or the al leged qual i ty level ofthe bean. So, that's when

I started roasting my own beansi'- Chr is McClel lan

continued from prcvious Page

receive a fair market price, that work-

ers receive fair wages and safe work

environments, and that environmentally

sustainable growing methods are used.

In the Fair Trade system, Chris pur-

chases his raw beans directly from the

growers, ensuring the freshest possible

bean.

McClellan is serious about coffee and

realized that after some substandard

coffee experiences, freshness is the key

for brewing a flavorful cup of coffee."I h;pothesized that maybe freshness

really matters.-far more than the origin

or the alleged quality level of the bean.

So, that's when I started roasting my

own beans," Chris said.

He began experimenting with differ-

ent roasting methods at home and knew

that when he opened a coffee shop,

roasting his own beans would be part of

the equation. In addition to a full menu

ofbrewed coffee and espresso drinks,

Blue Line Coffee also sells whole beans,

which are roasted by Chris every few

days."I'm finding out that [coffee] is like

wine, in the respect that a lot of the

well-known coffees are not worth what

they are charging.for them. Some of the

cheap coffees that aren't well-known

are really great, high-qualiqr coffees,"

he said.

McClellan will soon open a sec-

ond location, 749 N. l4'r' Street, in

the Saddle Creek Records complex.

Besides serving coffee and espresso, the

new location will offer a selection of

wine, port, cognac, liqueurs and French

brandies."l think o[ this place downtown as

more of a European-style caf6," said

Chris.

The downtown location will also

serve food, selected to be paired with

the wine and liqueurs. McClellan

hopes to stay open late like many of the

French cafes he frequented while in

Paris."I would love to be able to stay open

until 3 a.m. on weekends," he said.

They are in the final stages of con-

struction at the new location, but

there is currently no set opening date'

However, Chris asserts that it will be

soon."The day after I get my final

inspections and health department

inspection," Chris said, "I'm unlocking

the door and selling coffee." ouna