I'm kind of hitting all points south tonight, so I stopped at Alterra's Mitchell Airport location. I parked in the surface parking lot, where parking is free for half an hour or less (I believe this is the case for the structure also, but the surface lot is more convenient for this purpose). All you have to do is cross the driveway and go up the stairs at the southern end of the terminal, and you walk smack dab into Alterra. I was amazed from first sight to see that the kiosk was impossible to distinguish from any other location--signage, equipment, product mix, uniforms etc. are all the same. Prices are maybe 15% higher, more reasonable than I'd expected.
I ordered a double espresso, which I believe was $2.15 plus tax. I was amazed to find it nearly as good as at one of the company's East Side cafes. When Alterra first announced plans to open airport locations, I figured it would be a disaster. In fact, I was falsely extrapolating from Starbucks' failure to retain quality and brand control when licensing their name. (Difficult to understand, as Big Green would presumably have a stronger hand.) It seems that every time Alterra's owners are interviewed, they say things like, "Aw, shucks, we don't know nothin' 'bout business..." I'll have you know I don't believe it for a second!
I've always liked Mitchell Airport, and now it's even better. Additional score: a de facto Alterra location in southern Milwaukee County, conveniently accessible by Interstate.
Comments