Owning a small business isn’t a pipe dream.  Neither is it what it’s cracked up to be.  If you’re looking to get rich, then you’re probably better off staying away from owning a small business.  It’ll enrich you in other ways, though.  I’ve always thought that nothing in life has meaning without the people you have to share it with.  You can see a supernova of a sunset, but without people to share it with you’ll just see the end of another day.  The Royal Bean is a community gathering place even if you walk into our doors alone.

We’re not just another coffee house.  The Bean is an experience.  If it’s not what you hoped for, then we’ll turn it into something better.  We’re stuck in an old historic bread factory.  We’re in a nondescript brick building with aging landscaping.  When we tell people we’re located between Ben and Jerry’s and the Brick house, then they can find us.  If we tell people we are across from the front gates of Meredith College, then they say which side is the front!  We’re on the Hillsborough St. side.  We don’t have a big sign or a massive marketing machine to bring attention to ourselves.  We’re not a franchise with deep pocket.  We’re just a lonely little coffee house, but we care about it like its home.  When you come inside, then it can be your home for a little while.  Ha!  I’m here so much it literally is my home.  I love it!

A small business supports your local economy and local community which is our objective at the Bean.  I know you hear these words often these days. It’s not just a marketing campaign, though small businesses certainly need all the attention they can get.  We just want to get the word out that we live here and care about our stores because we have built them with our love and bare hands.  We support our local economy by purchasing our freshly roasted coffee only minutes from the Royal Bean.  We purchase our bakery goods from Raleigh.  We could order our cups and paper goods through the Internet or Sam’s, but we get what we need from a locally owned business two minutes from the Bean.  Now not everything we get is from local businesses, but when the opportunity exist that’s our first choice we try to make happen.  I’m not going to be silly and say we milk our own cows, but we do what we can do to have our products as fresh and delicious as possible.  We serve happiness here.  Thank you.  …and please ignore my bad grammar. 

With love,

The tall skinny guy in the corner

To learn more about Fountain  Pen check out their facebook  here: http://www.facebook.com/FountainPenn  and their band Facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/FountainPenn/app_178091127385 .  They’ll be performing  between 8 and 10pm.

Bio:”Andrew Frederick Wilson, a Davidson native, has been meandering around the North Carolinian music scene for the past five years, along the way developing the stage name “Fountain Penn”. A young singer/songwriter with heart and soul, he is always eager to serenade any crowd. Fountain Penn has made a name for himself by performing anywhere from a street corner to coffee shops, backyard parties, hookah bars, restaurants, art galleries and music halls. His original songs are well-crafted, genuine and sometimes humorous. He is sure to entertain any crowd.”

Follow the Royal Bean events page here for details:

http://royalbeancoffeehouse.com/blog/royal-bean-coffee-events/

Also, follow their links to listen to their music and read about this musical group:

http://peasantsalabama.bandcamp.com/

http://www.reverbnation.com/page_object/page_object_photos/artist_1197512?sel_photo_id=9209352

http://www.facebook.com/Peasants

Taking photographs of iced drinks is difficult at best! You’ve got like 30 seconds to get your best shot. This is the “Mint Green Mocha” frappe. It’s flavored with Mint Green all natural syrup, shaved ice, with a touch of dark chocolate sauce swirled inside the cup, and topped off with sweet and fluffy whipped cream. Add with that shots of espresso and it comes alive! It’s a lesson in decadence and the ultimate experience in minty taste. It can also be served over ice or hot.

Astride his motorcycle with a guitar strapped to his back, making references to quantum mechanics or classic science fiction, Michael McFarland is a musician who embraces his contradictions. Garnering comparisons ranging from modern-rock radio successes such as Matchbox 20 and The Fray, to venerable singer-songwriters such as Paul Simon and Elton John, Michael McFarland’s rhythmic alt-pop songs have found their way into the hearts of fans with diverse musical tastes and a wide range of ages – from pre-teens to pensioners.

A born performer, raised in Kent, Ohio (where students get shot and rivers catch on fire), McFarland spent much of his teenage years and early twenties playing in rock bands, touring the country and developing his skills as a songwriter, producer and audio engineer.  When he decided to set out on a solo career in the Fall of 2010, he locked himself in his home recording studio and emerged 4 days later with his 6-song debut EP,  “Made A Mess”,  which he not only engineered, produced, mixed and mastered, but on which he also performed all the instrumental parts. McFarland put this same DIY ethic to use on his first full-length album, “Waking Up Is A Letdown”, released August 26, 2011.

A recent transplant to Asheville, North Carolina, McFarland spends much of the warmer months on tour,  which whenever possible he undertakes on two wheels – his customary tour vehicle is a classic Swiss military motorcycle. And while his recordings are fully-realized musical arrangements, his concerts are intimate affairs: heartfelt autobiographical songs accompanied only by his trusty acoustic guitar and loop pedal, intermingled with personal stories and self-deprecating humor.

“Since 2001, Rob Hinkal (guitar, vocals) and Heather Lloyd (guitar, vocals, djembe) have fronted Baltimore-based ilyAIMY (i love you And I Miss You). Capping off their decade-long musical partnership with a year of honors from the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, the National Association for Campus Activities and the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, they’ve played everything from bait shops, to biker festivals, to clothing-optional resorts. It’s agreed: “all they need is two acoustic guitars and a djembe” to sound as full as rock band, “but they also engage their audiences with humor and write award-winning folk songs”. They have supported the likes of Dar Williams, Ellis Paul and The Gym Class Heroes.

The sound:
Heather’s incredible voice and Rob’s percussive acoustic guitar are what it’s all about. References to folk, rock, Americana and alternative, with lush male/female harmony and tribal percussion. Called “a welcome jolt in … folk” and “an acoustically roiling, combustible attack on the usual singer/songwriter fare” by reviewers, they have been compared to everything from Buckingham/Nicks to Ani DiFranco to an acoustic Tool to Rusted Root.

The last couple years have been ilyAIMY’s most exciting ever. Heather returned from backing Dar Williams‘ Promised Land Tour to release ilyAIMY’s most recent studio album, “A Gift For Saint Cecilia,” and her own solo CD, “Samples.” Pat Wictor of folk supergroup Brother Sun sums it all up:

“ilyAIMY ain’t your grandpa’s folk music – and thank goodness.They are fearless writers and performers. Heather Lloyd’s voice is enough for me. Voices this rich and emotionally hard-hitting – equal parts velvet darkness, barely contained heartbreak, and hard-won, unstoppable joy – don’t come around often. Sing me the phone book, Heather Lloyd – I’ll ask for an encore.”
Ok guys!  What do you say?  I think it’s worth the trip to go to the Royal Bean so listen to some incredible music, enjoy a hot or iced latte, fruit smoothie, or anything form our delicious menu, and just have some fun!  Oh yeah, go to their website for Youtube videos and the sounds of their music, and more.

http://www.ilyaimy.com/

This Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday it’s going to be in the 80s!  We’re having a trend right now of hot and cold weather in Raleigh.  The Royal Bean Coffee house offers a large selection of hot and cold drinks.  Come inside and find a little bit of heaven. 

FRAPPES

Ice cream blended with ice & topped with Whipped Cream.

Royal Bean Mocha | White Chocolate & Vanilla

Caramel Candy | Vanilla & Caramel

Mint Mocha | Chocolate & Mint

Milky Way | Chocolate & Caramel

Snickers | Chocolate, Caramel & Hazelnut

Mounds | Chocolate & Coconut

Almond Joy | Chocolate, Coconut & Hazelnut

Heath Bar | Chocolate & Toffee Nut

SMOOTHIES

Mix & Match

Lemonade | Strawberry | Limeade | Banana

Raspberry | Wildberry | Peach | Mango

Iced Beverages

Italian Soda| Strawberry, Cherry, Lemon, Lime, Raspberry

Lemonade| In season!

Limeade | in season!

Orangeade |In season!

Check out our complete menu by hitting the menu navigation link at the top, or just hit on this link:

http://royalbeancoffeehouse.com/blog/royal-bean-menu/