Owner Christine Guillen makes coffee at Barcey’s, newly opened at St. Nicholas and Stockholm. — Photos by Scarlett Lindeman
There are basically two options for drip coffee south of Flushing: bodega swill and Wyckoff Starr. Now, Barcey’s Coffee joins the short ranks for a place to go for a more nuanced cup. The newly opened corner shop offers Equal Exchange fair-trade, organic coffee in light and dark roasts, organic espresso drinks, and teas. Pastries from International Delights and bagels from Bagel Smith in Williamsburg, are delivered daily.
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Owners Christine and Ronald Guillen are entrepreneurs at heart. They live in the neighborhood and have tried various business models over the years, including exporting organic food to the Philippines, before finally hitting their mark with the café, which sits across the street from Wyckoff Heights Medical Center. The space is fresh, with cheery yellow walls and exposed brick, and is dubbed Barcey’s after Mrs. Guillen’s maiden name — Barcelona.
Mrs. Guillen, a petite woman with an eager smile, showed photos of the demolition process on her iPhone — in-action shots of her tiny frame smashing out plaster walls with a sledgehammer. “In the 80s, this was a hair salon. Vinyl floors, pink walls. Everything was pink!” she said.
Local medical workers come for strong coffee and bagels with cream cheese or the Elvis, a crunchy peanut butter and banana concoction on whole wheat — minus the addition of the King’s bacon. A group of bundled-up locals trail in. “Sorry Christine, I brought my own,” calls out an elderly woman clutching a Dunkin Donuts cup, “Your stuff is too strong… like Starbucks.” Mrs. Guillen doesn’t mind, “We already have regulars.”
There is tofu cream cheese and vegan pastries are coming soon, as well as a few hearty sandwich options. A roasted red pepper, hummus, and pesto sandwich on chewy ciabatta is savory and filling, all for a modest $5.50. Wifi and a phone line are scheduled to be up next week, so you can munch on whole-wheat croissants while checking your inbox for the 14th time in the hour.
Nino February 8th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
What the hell is “swill” Scarlett ?
I was born in Bushwick and never heard of it.
About drinking Coffee in NYC:
Fist off its not done at fancy tables !
If your not sipping through a ripped “top” cover wile walking or in your car your doing something wrong. (unless your unemployed).
When in New York do as New Yorkers not Beantown !
My grandmothers 1950′s percolator with the glass sight on top makes the strongest coffee. Set it up at night then in the morning get out of bed plug in.
Boom 3 minutes done !
You can get them at garage sales $10.
The secret is to use Use Chock Full o’Nuts New York Blend. Make your own flavors with Land of lakes no fat cream and FOX’s flavor syrups.
The natural “toasting” of a percolators heater and the NYC water make the best cup of coffee in the world.
Jeez…Why do I have to s’plain these college hipsters everythin ?
What the hell are they teaching in school and college these days aside multicultural crapola and sex ?
-N
Jeremy Sapienza February 8th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
I love how some New Yorkers brag about being ignorant slobs and make sad attempts to shit on people who have culture. Nino, in this very neighborhood you can go to several old-school Italian places, sit down or stand at a counter, and be served an espresso. I suppose the tables of old men at Caffe Europa on Wyckoff are a bunch of leftist fruits, right?
What’s swill? It’s what you make in a percolator. That’s why you need it light and sweet.
I do disagree with Scarlett a bit in that we also have Dunkin Donuts in the hood, which actually has really good coffee as cheap drip goes.
Good luck to Christine and I hope to be in soon.
Nino February 8th, 2010 at 10:06 pm
Jeromy or is it Geremia your rant is as bad and clueless as that poor guy beaten with an umbrella a wile back.
As an Italian you should know those “old men” if not retired are usually taking care of “business” having meetings or blowing off the daily rants.
Its been that way forever with them old fellas –my grandfather was one of them.
With all due respect most these brat transplants & trust fund baby’s aren’t rank to look at them or shine their shoes !
Your bios says you “grew up in South Florida, and will probably always consider Miami “home”
Oh, and you know about our culture and history ?
Now that’s the cherry on the cake !
As the editor and “masthead” of bushwickbk.com you should be ashamed of yourself calling out 3+ generation New Yorkers as “Ignorent Slobs”
You may be an owner but your still a guest !
—calling Miami “home”, what an insult Gimme a friggan break !!
I do wish Christine lots of luck she did a nice job with the place and her suppliers are also locals.
That’s immense.
Don’t get me wrong let me “S’plain” something about my culture (and many share my opinion).
I like to see industrious individuals in private the business sector succeed. For example there is a girl with a bike shop on Dekalb with a big wrench fixing up thrown away bikes.
Now thats cool and what Bushwick was.
I’m not against hipsters willing to work and make an honest living.
Its the the trust fund baby’s from Miami, Masshole(whatever) who call everbody else “slobs” wanting art gallery’s, CVS & Starbucks who have it wrong.
That’s NOT CULTURE that’s RETAIL !!
Its these idiots that destroy CULTURE !
Want proof ?
Take a walk through **WHAT WAS** the East Village in Manhattan Jeromy to bad you would know the dam difference.
What the hell kind of name is Jeromy for an Italian guy ?
-Nino
Jeremy Sapienza February 8th, 2010 at 10:50 pm
You addressed none of my points, invented others and attributed them to me, and demonstrated your illiteracy as you take offense at my characterization of you as ignorant, a characterization I should note is based upon your own proud comment that real noo yawkiz drink boiled coffee out of paper cups while they drive between parking lots.
Mjay February 9th, 2010 at 12:15 am
Chill out NINO-NANO Yuck! percolated coffee, ha ha ha
I bet you’re catholic,
nothing is good unless is makes you suffer…..
Mjay February 9th, 2010 at 12:19 am
to conclude: thanks Christine! so happy you opened here on my street, will definitely be in, WELCOME!!!!
Professional Alternative February 9th, 2010 at 12:29 am
What Mjay said, congratulations Christine and good luck!
Nino February 9th, 2010 at 2:33 am
Fact : Real “Noo Yaw kiz” do drink boiled coffee out of paper cups. If you had a real job or were born before the 1970′s you would know this already !
Before you go “off” get your research and history straight.
Bye Bye
Nino February 9th, 2010 at 2:53 am
OK Mjay
I’m just trying to teach some history and culture here. That is till wisenhimer from Miami went nuts and started hurling the wrenches and flack.
It is his blog (got to respect that) so I will drop it.
-N
sweetser February 9th, 2010 at 8:31 am
This is exciting. I’ve been ready for a few years for a decent coffee shop to serve points further south in the hood. Hope to check this place out soon, and good luck to the entrepreneurs.
Christopher February 9th, 2010 at 11:21 am
Just walked up there today. Nice people. Cute place. (Although feels a little uninspired on the inside.) Free wifi seemingly. And coffee is decent and strong. (And fair trade.) Not sure if it’s worth a 7 block walk, however.
I kinda like my local deli’s $1 cup of coffee.
Jeremy Sapienza February 9th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
I don’t see why my position at this site should matter in a conversation about coffee. Nobody cares what you do in Maspeth, especially if you’re only telling us about it to trash someone else’s endeavors.
Jeremy Sapienza February 9th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
You’re lucky, I’m shocked at the watery junk, far weaker than a roadside diner’s, that they sell around me. Of all the traditions for Bushwick’s Caribbean communities to abandon in their businesses, it had to be their high-octane coffee.
Nino February 9th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Not trashing trashing anybody’s endeavors Im trashing you because you don’t know what your talking about.
Read your description of “Swill” again word for word
“Swill” and High-test are not the same thing
A swill is called a “swig” in New York—meaning a gulp.
You don’t tell a guy raised in NYC “you take your “Swig” (gulp) light and sweet” That means something else you moron.
Go into Cafe Europa and say that to those older Italian men, they will drag you out back and beat the crap out of you.
I get it now.
Some of these transplants are calling overbrewed coffee “Swill”.
Thats referred to as “High-test” here as long as I know.
Yep over-brewed, loads of suger & milk. Its for instant get up and go and energy in the morning and still very common.
“Hightest” working mans “on the run” coffee was derived from Demitasse served black commonly pronounced “Demi-test”
Decaff, Lowtest, Hightest, Demetest get it.
Assimilate or back to your pink surfboard in Miami.
-N
anonymous February 9th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Nino you should really go somewhere else with your negativity.
Jeremy Sapienza February 9th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Your first comment was an insult. It’s right there plain as day. Anyway, how embarrassing, you don’t seem to know what the English word “swill” means — do look it up. “Swig” means something completely different, and in fact you can take a swig of swill.
Sadly, overbrewed coffee doesn’t have much more caffeine in it than properly brewed. It just tastes like shit and so you think it’s strong. The sugar you need to stir in to make it palatable is probably what gives you that extra jolt.
You’re all over the place, Nino, but hey let’s call the whole thing off. We both probably make a good sauce.
Facebook User February 9th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Nice to see new place in the area. but if you really want some good coffee, knock on the firehouse door on Himrod st. the coffee is the best there. JMO
ak February 9th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
agreed.
Nino February 9th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
I apologize if I insulted you (or anybody else)Jeremy don’t take it personally….I sure don’t. I will try and be more insightful to a interesting culture clash thread.
As far as the English go we hurled them and their F_ing tea out of this country over 230 years ago.
I don’t know what kind of pinko commie dictionary or website your using by my Funk & Wagnalls from Grover Cleveland HS says:
Swill: to drink great drafts of : GUZZLE (swill beer)
intrositive verb (whatever that means)
1 : to drink or eat freely, greedily, or to excess
2 : SWASH (swill it down)
Noun: — swiller
I’m not making this up
If its good enough for White House Press Secretary’s and Johnny Carson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funk_&_Wagnalls good enough for everybody.
That’s the way I see it anyway
Good night nurse you people give me a headache, OMG !
BrooklynJTrain February 11th, 2010 at 10:57 pm
Scarlett…
You do need to get out more. I think this is one of the reasons that long term residents feel so much apprehension to the new folk moving in here. You seem to totally ignore the fact that these people are here and they have been here long before there were hipsters, yuppies, and whatever else. Its like when NorthEast Kingdom opened. Everyone was like… Hey we finally have a restraunt. Come on people. There is much more out there than wyckoff starr and bodega swill when it comes to coffee. Numerous bakeries on Wyckoff w/ great coffee. One of my favorites is the Dominican Bakery w/ their Cafe Santo Domingo. Expresso @ Fortunatos and 280 Cafe (Formerly Caffe La Notte), both by Knick and Suydam. Just to name a few.
Mjay February 11th, 2010 at 11:41 pm
FIRST: BASTA BOYS BASTA! Lascia stare…..go in there and just enjoy the place ok?
Just saying I went in to Barcey’s and loved it! hung on the couch w. my girlfriend who lives across the street.
We had whole wheat croissants and super coffee, great service w. a smile. Very nice atmosphere, big brick wall, open clean and fresh. Lots of people in and out:
3 mom’s w. their kids, local workers gettin a sandwich,
wifi up and running well as evidenced by several people hanging out working. We requested they get decaf for us older folk and they were agreeable…but had a fab cappucino anyway. Thanks Barcey’s !!
Jeremy Sapienza February 12th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
I think of all the people that write for this site, Scarlett is the last one who should be told she needs to “get out more.” I don’t see anyone else buying chickens at viveros and reviewing all kinds of Mexican and other bakeries, taco joints, restaurants, illegal food carts, and more. She’s particular about coffee, so what? Most of it here IS bad. And I agree Fortunata’s has superb espresso, but this specifically mentions drip coffee.
Ultimately a review is an opinion piece. You may disagree with the opinions. That doesn’t mean the author is sheltered.
Nino February 12th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Thank you for the valid points BrooklynJTrain
I share them 100%.
I been reading the blog for around 6 months and this reporter Scarlett, Sarah are known for totally ignoring and shitting on the people and business’s that have been here long before them.
To anonymous:
No, I’m not a pessimist.
At some point the world shits on everybody. –But Pretending it isn’t shit when you aren’t being shit on makes one a friggin idiot, not an optimist !
Marie February 15th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Check out my video for Barcey’s coffee. I found the place to be very comfortable and the coffee was very good. A welcomed addition to the neighborhood.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7qUSvDUZD8
MIke Steyels March 7th, 2010 at 5:57 am
I’m pretty dependent on my $1 coffee, but support the fair trade stuff whenever possible. Also – make sure your local corner store is brewing actually coffee, not the instant stuff!