More info on the La Marzocco equipment

Here are photos and descriptions of the La Marzocco Linea 3 Group and the Swift grinder that we are considering. These would cost over $15,000 new, and that makes the used price of $4000 very enticing. I'm looking forward to trying these machines as soon as Marick is finished with their refurb:

La Marzocco Linea 3 Group Espresso Machine:


Suitable Environment
One of La Marzocco’s most popular machines, the Linea has earned its reputation as a global leader in retail specialty coffee. As the benchmark for independent coffee bars, this machine is capable of producing high-quality espresso consistently, even in the busiest shops. Thanks to its durability, the Linea can be built to accommodate small or large coffee houses and can be operated by baristas of all levels.

Operation
The La Marzocco Linea is easy to use, and requires limited experience to operate. Basic users can operate the brewing buttons, however, if you choose to customize the liquid volumes for signature drinks, it will require reading the manual and a more advanced knowledge of espresso brewing. For more in-depth training on brewing, steaming and frothing, users can be directed to the following articles for detailed descriptions of the brewing and frothing processes, but hands-on training is a must for the best results.

Highlights

The Linea features 2 stainless steel boilers, for simultaneous brewing and steaming.
Brew boiler capacity: 5 liters
Steam boiler capacity: 11 liters
The La Marzocco Linea is housed entirely in heavy-duty stainless steel, and the saturated brew groups ensure maximum temperature stability.
5 programmable brewing buttons above each brew group make creating consistent, high quality espresso a relatively simple process.
2 omni-directional stainless steel frothing wands allow you to froth or steam multiple drinks at the same time.
A built-in water purifying system softens water to prevent residue buildup.
The Linea comes with a hot water nozzle, giving you the option to brew tea or quickly warm an espresso cup.
This La Marzocco espresso machine connects directly to a water line so you never have to refill it.
The Linea’s brew groups and portafilters are each 57mm in diameter.
Each brew group features 5 different settings so users can brew a variety of drinks.
Dimensions and weight
20”H x 37”W x 23”D
200 lbs
NSF and UL approvals ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.

Steam Wand
The Linea features 2 ball-jointed, omni-directional steam wands to provide instant steam from the dedicated boiler. Dual stainless steel frothers make simultaneous steaming and frothing fast and easy, and since each wand is situated on each end of the machine, they can be used without getting in the way of the brew groups.

Brewing Buttons
The Linea comes with 5 buttons above each brew group that allow you to create espresso of consistent quality every time. 4 buttons control different preset coffee volumes: 1 short coffee, 1 tall coffee, 2 shot coffees, 2 tall coffees, while the last switch is an on/off switch for continuous brewing. The Linea automatic also gives you the option to customize the exact liquid volume each button dispenses. To change this, refer to the manual included with the machine.

Saturated Brew Groups
The La Marzocco Linea provides superior temperature stability with the heavy-duty, stainless steel brew heads connected directly to the boiler. This unique design allows water to flow openly and consistently between the boiler and each of the Linea’s brew groups.

Back Up Devices
To make maintenance fast and efficient, La Marzocco espresso machines feature back-up devices that make it possible to test and service your machine without interrupting your brewing routine.

Stainless Steel Cup Warmer
Like all of our La Marzocco espresso machines, the Linea features an oversized cup warmer. Made of heavy-duty stainless steel, the cup warmer is large enough to preheat all of your espresso, cappuccino and latte cups so they're always ready for brewing.

Steam Boiler Window
The Linea features a sight glass for monitoring the level of water in the steam boiler as you froth.

Electrical Options
The Linea can be customized to meet the needs of your electrical environment. Choose from 200v (1 or 3 phase), 220v (1 or 3 phase), or 380v (3 phase) depending on your requirements. You can also choose between standard wattage and high wattage heating elements to customize your machine's capabilities.


La Marzocco Swift Grinder:



Suitable Environment
With its two 4.4 lb hoppers and automatic grinding, dosing, and tamping, the La Marzocco Swift is a must-have for busy coffee shops where consistency and speed are top priorities.

Operation
Operating this La Marzocco grinder is very simple – if you can attach a portafilter to a brew group and press a button, you already know how to make it work. Since the Swift also doses and tamps for you, these factors are always impeccably consistent, which will also decrease the amount of time you’ll need to spend on training your employees to brew great espresso.

Highlights

The Swift’s two 4.4 lb hoppers help you keep 2 kinds of coffee ready-to-brew at any time.
With its unique automatic design, this La Marzocco coffee grinder grinds, doses, and tamps coffee right into your portafilter, bringing unmatched consistency to your drinks.
2 programmable grinding buttons allow you to preset the amount of coffee that is ground for further consistency.
The La Marzocco Swift features independent grind setting controls for each hopper.
Flat plate ceramic burrs ensure a consistent grind and a long burr life.
A grounds tray beneath the portafilter holder catches stray grounds to keep your counter clean.
Designed for use with La Marzocco espresso machines, this coffee grinder accommodates 57mm portafilters.
The La Marzocco Swift stands 25 ¾”H x 13 ¾”W x 14”D.
This coffee grinder is NSF and UL approved for health department compliance.

Automatic Grinding, Dosing, and Tamping
The La Marzocco Swift coffee grinder takes the guesswork out of dosing and tamping for the perfect espresso shot. Just attach your portafilter to the machine –which is just like attaching it to your espresso machine’s brew group – and press one of the programmable grinding buttons. Then the Swift will automatically grind and dose the precise amount of coffee you’ve programmed it for and tamp it perfectly. This provides unbeatable consistency that is apparent in the quality of your drinks, which builds your employees’ confidence and makes your customers happy.

Programmable Dosing
There are 2 grinding activation buttons on the front of the Swift – one to control grinding for each individual bean hopper. These buttons can be programmed so that when pressed, they grind and dose a precise amount of coffee for perfect consistency from shot to shot.

Grind Setting Adjustments
To customize the grind fineness for each type of coffee, each bean hopper has a grind adjustment dial on the panel in front of it. This allows you to make quick adjustments to compensate for changes in humidity and other conditions that affect coffee, as well as allowing you to “dial in” the grind for new roasts.

Electrical Options
Easily fitting into any setting, this burr coffee grinder is available in both 110v and 220v models.

I am so dirty...

It's 11:00pm and I just got home from the shop. I ran a new electrical outlet to the kid's room, demo'd some door trim and jamb, measured the opening for the hallway to the bathrooms, marked and cut the drywall and began demo of the drywall (didn't get done). I need to get up at 5:00, just like this morning. I'm tired enough to go to bed, drywall dust and all, but I'm going to take a shower first instead...

Oh yeah, I found an electrical box hanging down from the ceiling, with wires hanging out of it. I have noticed it before, but figured it was disconnected. I checked it with a multimeter and it was energized! Yikes! It was hanging down and was about 4 or 5 feet off the ground (easily accessible). I figured out which circuit it was and killed it, then put wire nuts on each of the wires. I'll demo this death trap out next time I'm over there...

This has nothing to do with the coffee shop, but I thought it was funny. The boys all had dentist appointments today. I asked Ethan how things went at the dentist, and he said the dentist got all of the bugs out of his mouth using a sharp knife. Either he is confused, or we need to find a different dentist! And... just how did he wind up with a mouth full of bugs in the Winter???

Updated Layout

This layout shows accurate measurements for walls. The red walls are 10' high, the purple walls are half walls (about 44" high). The half walls help to open up the coffee bar area to the large seating area. It also allows a view from the seating area into the children's room...

New Progress Photos

Here are some panoramas of the new framing. As you can see, the electrical has been demo'd and relocated, the openings are framed, including the half walls. I am starting at the front and removing drywall and electrical, reframing as I work my way to the back. Once all of the framing is complete, I will install new drywall. I am hiring a subcontractor to do the final tape, mud, and texture and then we will do our own painting.







As you can see in the photos, the spaces have drop ceilings with flourescent lighting. We are not super happy about it, but we are stuck with it for now. I wanted to demo the drop ceiling, but the plenum above the ceiling (10') to the roof (at 14') is not insulated in any way. The drop ceiling has roll insualtion on top of it to keep the heated space insulated. It would come out with the drop ceiling, and the roof has no insulation at all. Also, the plenum is very dirty (40 years worth) and would take an enormous effort to clean it prior to painting. I like the open air look with exposed structural girders, ductwork, etc. Our situation does not allow it without a major investment of time and money. Our plan is to remove the flourescent lighting, install recessed can lighting, and paint all of the drop ceiling. It won't be optimal, but it will be clean and presentable.

Synesso, or La Marzocco?????

Several posts ago, I indicated that we were going to go with a Synesso espresso machine. It is still our first choice, closely followed by a La Marzocco Linea. I spoke with a rep from Maric Beverage Systems (local vendor) and they have a used La Marzocco three group, and a Swift grinder. These two units sell for approximately $15,000 new. He said we could buy them after he has rebuilt them for around $4000-5000. We really love the Synesso machine, but if we can save $8000-10,000 of our start-up capital by going with the rebuilt units... well, you do the math. I will go look at the units and try them out when Maric has them ready...
I made significant progress this weekend on framing. I moved all of the electrical conduit from the firewall and framed several of the openings and half walls. The place is starting to take shape! I'll post some photos later today.
Tracy has started writing our employee manual. It will include job descriptions for the barista and shift supervisor positions. She is also writing our mission statement and service policies. She will also be working on our menu this week. We need to finalize what products we will offer, then document the recipes for each item, for each size. Tracy and I know how to make everything, but we need a documented product recipe book for new employees. One of our service criteria is a consistent, quality product. We want each item to taste the same everytime it is made. I have been to shops where they just wing it each time, and the same drink tastes considerably different depending on who makes it, and usually not for the better...
I need to call the company who is structurning our LLC. I could have filled out the forms and filed everything for approx $100, but we chose to pay $500 to a professional company that files LLC and Corporation charters, and files the paperwork for EIN's, sales tax, etc... Our reasoning was that we want this done correctly, with no worries of mistakes that might have significant tax implications later. The company has completely botched the process, with errors and ommissions on almost every form. I notified them last week that we want to terminate our agreement/interaction based upon poor performance. They refused to refund our money, so I need to do battle with them this week. What a pain. If I wanted amateur results with lots of mistakes, I could have stumbled through it all myself.

Layout 90%

This layout is about 90% accurate. I plotted this on large blueprint size sheets today and I will be taking final measurements in the shop. I will update the layout with actual measurements and get it 100% accurate this weekend.
Click on it to see it larger...

A Few Photos...

I didn't take any photos before starting demo, but this shot is after several internal walls were partially demo'd, and some carpet removed. This is the first of two spaces. This space is 750 sq ft, and the adjacent space is 1250, to give us 2000 total. YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE A LARGER VERSION:




...and more progress


I'm starting to open up to the adjacent space. As you see, I have some electrical to move. I will be working on the electrical this weekend. I have to frame in a new header for the openings and removed the studs.


Josh busy at the shop...


Our white oak flooring arrived! Tracy and I had to move 2500 lbs of flooring from the delivery drop to our storage, which is several units down from our storefronts.