I walked in to Sara Matthis this morning, and she gave me a little Coffee Plantation history.

Locals of Key West who wander into Coffee Plantation have the sensation of coming home. The new Coffee House and Internet, though open only a few years, has just the right ambiance, product and price that make it seem like it's been around for decades.
Located conviniently on Caroline street, Coffee Plantation occupies the downstairs level of a classic Key West Conch house, lavish in details. Warm wood floors and comfortable wicker furniture mix delightfully with soothing green walls in complementing shades and crisp flat monitors hooked to high-speed machines."We want this to be a gathering place, not just a place to get coffee and go," Diane said, "although customers can do that, too."
Coffee is Theo's passion, people the couples shared joy. Diane credits her husband with the idea to open Coffee Plantation. She said," he told me I want to make something I like to do - drink coffee and talk to people."

Coffee Plantation serves two types of roasts - 100% Colombian for the house blend and a Italian espresso roast for the more elaborate concoctions- Chocarmel Frappe or a Cappuccino with a hit of chocolate mint syrup. "Our Italian espresso beans are the same ones that are served at the coffee carts in Rome," she said. Have you ever tasted that coffee? It's wonderful!"It's fitting that some of the cafe's recipes were discovered on the world wide web. "We found some ideas that sounded tropical and than tested them here," Theo said.

The results are offerings above and beyond what you'll find at most coffee shops.
The mocha Coconut Frappe features chocolate, espresso and milk and is topped with a light dusting of coconut flakes and whipped cream. Locals pay a dollar for a regular cup of coffee. The specialty coffee drinks cost around $3.50 Coffee in hand, customers are free to wander in a computer room where a Internet connection - to check private e-mail accounts, stock prices or do some research - costs 20 cents a minute. As of right now, the entire cafe has 7 computers, a fax machine and a printer. More computers are coming as is a photo printer. "We have wireless service," Diane said. "So a customer can sit outside on the veranda, sip coffee and work on the computer."
Coffee Plantation also sells Arizona drinks, fruit juice and smoothies and has fresh pastries delivered daily.
The veranda is a perfect people-watching spot. The island music from Schoonerwarf bar filters through the swaying trees shading the cobbled courtyard.
Both Diane and Theo love the neighborhood. Like most Historic seaport shopkeepers, they see the promise. "We wanted [a building] with character and personality," Diane said. "This is an upcoming area with a lot of potential."
They already understand the value of proximity to Duval Street without being overwhelmed by crowds that locals shun.
The Glories arrived here three years ago,"one week too late for Fantasy Fest." As they came over the 7 mile Bridge and took in the aquamarine waters, they knew they'd found home. " my husband told me, It's time to unpack the bags," Diane said.
The couple had sold the southern California home and Business and took a year-long sabbatical wandering the United States, Europe and Haiti. One nice side benefit of their travels is that they can relate to just about anyone who walks through the door, happy to share experiences from the customer's part of the world.
Theo is originally from Holland and Diane is from New York. Both retain hints of an accent, mellowed by years spent in California where they met when he walked into her flower shop.
Not wanting to stagnate, they moved on and found Key West. They started the business
for much the same reason.
"It's a great combination. Good coffee and great personality," Theo said. "That's going to be our success because our job is only to have fun."

Wow..... that is just great...