The story of how one North Carolina coffee roaster has all but cornered the upscale coffee market in DC. From the Washington City Paper:

A cursory examination of Counter Culture’s business model helps explains why: As long as a shop sells Counter Culture coffee exclusively, the company will provide that place with extra service—at no extra charge. Want your baristas trained in espresso-making and milk-frothing? How about your espresso machines installed or serviced? What about a course instilling staffers with the all-important fair-trade, single-origin, organic ethos? Sell Counter Culture, and only Counter Culture, and you get all that for free.

Make sure to pick up today’s WCP, which is also the Spring Arts guide!