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About
Puccino's
  One step
into Puccino's, owned and operated by Mike and Gwen Williams, and you get the
comforting feeling of familiar territory. There are wide booths, Internet
access stations and tongue-in-cheek renderings of Michelangelo figures sporting
various espressos and lattés. Puccino's is located at a prime location
in the consumer hub of Lakeside Shopping Center, in Metairie, Louisiana, at
17th St. and Severn Ave.
Something's different here. Maybe it's the unique and wildly popular frozen
cappuccinos that are the café's namesake and flagship beverage. Maybe
it's the zeppole (Italian beignets) being dished up hot from the kitchen,
perhaps any number of small details that give Puccino's the small, locally
owned and operated business feel, that sets it apart from the chains and
corporate conglomerates that dominate the New Orleans coffee market. Whatever
it is, you get quality and consistency, and you don't have to hate yourself for
supporting the big bad guys. This idea could go places.
In addition to its coffees and espresso drinks, Puccino's offers a variety of
panini sandwiches and salads, a soup of the day and a Sicilian muffaletta. With
its unique menu (the afore-mentioned frozen cappuccino is a real standout among
Puccino's peers) and its slogan - "The Real Coffee of Italy" - the
café has managed to appeal to all walks of life, while tapping into the
rich heritage of the world's finest coffee makers.
Mike and Gwen Williams have noticed that Puccino's customer base reflects all
ages, male and female. There is even an Italian language club meeting there
Saturday mornings, and lots of students and others are coming from the movies
or looking for a place to go after dinner." |
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