We've become a nation of coffee gourmands

By Nicole Ziegler Dizon
The Associated Press

WAUKEGAN, Ill. - For Leo Hogan, there's only one place to go for a steaming cup of freshly roasted and brewed gourmet coffee: his local used-CD shop.

"I love coffee. The better the coffee, the better I like it," Hogan said as he waited for his order from Fire Fresh Coffee Co., tucked in the corner of a store filled with CDs, DVDs and video games. Hogan stops by the Music Recyclery about once a week for coffee made from beans roasted fresh right in the store.

More and more businesses looking for some added value for their customers are turning to java, and not just your standard cup, either. Latté lovers can get their fix in Laundromats, movie theaters, baseball stadiums and fitness centers. And businesses that have long served coffee - such as gas stations - are finding they no longer can get away with any old drip as consumers accustomed to Starbucks demand the same quality anywhere they buy coffee.

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