The Loch locks in new, downtown Midland location

By Patrick Sochacki

MIDLAND – Coffee-lovers can now enjoy The Loch Coffee Company’s signature syrups and gourmet waffles in downtown Midland.

Jimmy Adame, owner of The Loch at 309 Dartmouth Dr., opened a second location at 140 Ashman St. 

“It was just kind of like a right time, right place, you know,” says Adame. “You get the business crowd, you get the lunch rushes, stuff like that. There’s a different demographic here. And also, you know, we do have that new Delta College [Midland Center] opening up.”

When Adame decided to open a new location, he started an IndieGoGo campaign, which wound up raising $4,575 of the original $35,000 goal. Perks for donating included “Best Hugs in Town,” “Lattes for Days” and “Waffles All Around.”

When you enter the new Loch, you’ll notice a giant red oak table coated with a slick walnut finish, with live succulents sprouting from the center. The stark white walls will soon be covered in murals and prints from Joshua Noom. 

And you’ll see the ceiling, which could accommodate a full-grown female giraffe, covered in the original 1950s pressed tin. 

“We found an entryway into the attic and saw all of this rough tin, but it was through the whole building,” says Adame. “So we ripped out the ceiling, brought out the tin and painted it.”

The ambiance is inviting, but the real draw is the coffee and its flavors. Adame enjoys taking very basic standards and making them as high quality as possible.

“It’s the Ugandan vanilla bean we’re using, which is like the highest quality vanilla bean that you can get, when most of the time it’s Madagascar vanilla,” says Adame. “Another popular one is lavender; […] you just make a simple syrup out of lavender and it’s nice and floral and compliments the coffee really well.”

If vanilla isn’t your style, The Loch offers more spruced up staples for a quality-minded crowd.

“Our caramel is a house-made salted bourbon caramel,” says Adame. “We use Buffalo Trace [bourbon whiskey] and we reduce it so it’s non-alcoholic, but you still get that really nice, perfect flavor.”

Adame uses some common flavors and some not-so-common flavors when he’s creating seasonal menus. 

“We have one that we just started doing again this year,” says Adame. “It’s been something we’ve done every late winter, early spring — it’s coconut rose.”

Adame also mentioned the use of peach, strawberry and other fruits and florals in the summer, then using deeper and richer flavors in the winter such as pumpkin spice and other nutty, spicy combinations. 

Apart from serving drinks at The Loch, there is a selection of baked goods and different foods, with some vegan and gluten-free options mixed in. 

“My original idea with The Loch was just to be a cafe: no food, no pastries made in house or anything,” says Adame. “It was just a coffee house; that was all we focused on.”

First, waffles were introduced. Then, more grab-n-go items such as baked goods were offered. After using baked goods from other bakeries and surrounding cities and being unimpressed with the quality, Adame found himself in a rather lucky position — that is, until a Belgian pastry chef with an impressive resume approached him.

“[Inge Bruneel] just came to us,” says Adame. “I was looking for a baker that would continue to make our baked goods and then also come up with new innovative things for us […] though I wasn’t really thinking about expanding to the point that we’re at right now.” 

Adame has continued to expand. The Ashman Street location now exclusively sells new wraps, including the Patata Mexicana and a vegan Samosa wrap.

The Loch Coffee Company’s new location is open on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.