there are 3 coffee shops on 3rd street in Mcminnville. i would rate Cornerstone as the second tier.
It's the only one open into the late evening, around nine at night, sometimes 11 on nights with live music. the tables and floor tile are tacky, wobbly relics from the late ninety's. there is a very lovely brick wall that lines one side of the place, unfortunately, it is often adorned with tacky vanilla photography or paintings... even tasteless occasional quilts that look like something some anonymous female conservative senior might make to feel better about being retired and unmarried.
the other part of Cornerstone is it's VERRRY Christian undertones. if you ever stop in, have a look at the reading materials they offer at the center stool seated area... you also might be approached by members of the Potter House, an ultra religious super right-wing organization in the town... you'll have to ask hem to leave you alone more than once.
out of towner might see the logo, and think that this is a gay friendly place, it's not. (btw, it's upside down triangle with a cup of coffee in the center)... but to be fair, Mcminnville is a red town.
the servers are absolutely wonderful people. flat out.
the owners make very rare guest appearances, but the EMPLOYEES are they ones who make up the third star of this review.
now, lets talk coffee:
-espresso... about 60% of the time, they'll get it right... if you're a discerning espresso drinker, you'll have to let them know, otherwise this isnt going to be the americano you were expecting.
-drip coffee... decent. as it goes with the espresso, the problem isnt with how it's done, but with the coffee roasting... the quality of the in house coffee roasting has been in a flux for the past couple years, but is on a steady incline as of late.
-mix coffee drinks... well, it's chancy. depending on the barista, it's can either be way too sweet, or just a little too sweet... either way, the recipe they use for the drinks could use some recalibrating.
the pastries, cakes, and quiche are pretty good, the pastries and (probably) the quiche and cakes are baked on site but the disenchanting part is that it's not a wholesome homemade operation, most of it comes from those mass production food suppliers.
if you want a quaint little spot to work online, visit a friend, just take a quick break... this is the stop.
Pros: wifi, friendly servers, on a historic street
Cons: drinks too sweet, interior dated, tables wobble, bad art
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