The Kickstart

I’d heard that Kickstart pulled good espresso so when I found myself with a little time to kill in that part of the Short North I thought I’d give it a shot. It didn’t disappoint.
I had two short shots. The first was just a hair on the bitter side, but had nice body and was overall a completely passable shot. The second was really good: nice and sweet with a lingering flavor.
Next time I’m in the Short North and need an espresso fix, I know where to go.

Bright, warm atmosphere, full array of coffee drinks, awesome candy, variety of seating, large bathrooms and friendly staff. good place to take your work and chill for a while.

This used to be a scooter store and still is, but much of the interior has been given over to the coffee shop aspect. The coffee is among the best in the city and all of the employees are great. In fact, this place probably has the highest ratio of employees that are cyclists. While the interior does have an industrial feel I like the colors and there’s always interesting art on the walls. The location of the store is set back from High St behind a parking lot, but it’s worth straying from the sidewalk. Aside from the coffee there are desserts from Pattycake, scones and biscotti from Eleni-​Christina, soups from Luck Ladle, and now even women’s clothing in the front by AmyD.

The first time I walked in The Kickstart I thought I had made a mistake. Friends had praised this coffee shop, but when I opened the door I saw a couple industrial-​looking tables and a lot of scooters and jackets and helmets and… oh my, I almost turned and walked out, because I thought I had walked into a scooter store, and I didn’t want to buy a scooter, I wanted caffeine! (Unless, of course, someone else wants to pay for it! In which case… two please! But that’s a different story.)
Well, I HAD walked into a scooter store, it just happens to ALSO be a coffee shop. How cute is that?! No, I don’t want a side of helmet with my latte today, but there’s a lot of charm in a place where I COULD buy a helmet with my latte.
The coffee itself — good!

The first time I walked into Kickstart it was sort of on a whim. My boyfriend and I wanted a snack, and we both had never been there before. I ordered a medium vanilla latte an apple pocket pie (from Bakery Gingham). I was surprised by how the latte was perfectly made, not too much espresso, not too much syrup. Purely delicious.
I stop by often to pick up a coffee before class because it’s obviously better than Starbucks or any other coffee place I’ve been to recently. The baristas are nice and friendly. I really can’t speak much to the drink menu because I’m a stickler for a straight up vanilla latte, but the pastries they carry are always delicious and tasty. Also, they’re dog friendly with dog treats sitting on the counter. I say that’s a huge plus.
There is a scooter shop, which many people have written about, and I would love a scooter. They’re pretty and nice to look at, and there are also some other miscellaneous items like clothes and stuff. Either way, I can’t say I’m very knowledgeable about any of it because I’m too poor to buy a scooter, and usually when I walk in there, my only thought is «I really need some caffeine.»

The place smells like rubber from the scooter tires. The smell doesn’t make me want to take my time and enjoy a cup of joe. I almost bought a bag of monkey picked tea before I realized that it was 6 mos past the expiration date.

This review is in no way influenced by my huge girl crush on DJ Moxy. I swear!
The first few times I wandered into Kickstart, I was really put off by how long it took them to make my [generic espresso drink]. Then it hit me! I’m so used to Starbucks that I forgot how it actually takes time to make something delicious! So now I no longer want Kickstart to rush it along because I’m really satisfied with the end product.
So the next time you are in The Kickstart waiting patiently for your delicious [generic espresso drink], look through a local magazine, check out the scooters, or buy something from Amy D!

I live a block from here and I love this place. They have the friendliest barristas anywhere. So engaging and talkative! Moxy and CJ are both great. I usually get a latte of some kind when I’m here, and the pastries are good too, from local bakeries.
I talked to one of the shop guys for like an hour once about scooters. He gave me very, very great advice. His name eludes me right now. The scooters are cool and fun to check out. I hope to get one eventually, before some day moving up to a motorcycle. That or I need to move to a town with a rail system.
Oh they also carry clothes made/​altered by a local named Amy C or Amy D, something like that. Pretty cool looking gear for the ladies, and these cool felt coffee sleeves.

Stopped in to look at the scooters and had a latte too.
They’ve got a great selection of scoots and accessories, and the inside of the place is much cooler than the strip-​mall exterior would suggest.
The caramella latte I had was actually shockingly good, full of flavor and served at just the right temperature.
Kickstart is a great addition to the neighborhood, and I’m really pleased that they seem to be doing so well.

Great coffee, throwback sodas and candy, Pattycake Vegan Bakery products, free wi-​fi, awesome scooters and motorcycles AND cool events like ride-​in movie night, and yoga Sunday mornings! Love this place!!!

Oh, Kickstart. you are truly my frenemy. Before you, I had kicked my coffee habit. Now, I’m back to my old tricks.
This coffee is so good. I’d say it’s the best in the neighborhood. I’ve had half of the signature cappuccinos. My favorite is by far the Elvis, a mix of peanut butter and banana. The best part of this drink is that the staff will take a bottle of chocolate syrup and draw Elvis’ face on top of your whipped cream. It looks a little wonky, but it’s the thought that counts.
I also had the Banana Split, the Sticky Bun, Crackerjack, Chai, and White Pumpkin Mocha. The Banana Split was very similar to the Elvis. The Sticky Bun tasted just like Stickybun. The Crackerjack was really good, but not as close to the Crackerjack taste that I expected. The Chai was spot on. And the White Pumpkin Mocha was very interesting and creamy; I think it’s my number two favorite.
After the Steelers won the Superbowl, Kickstart was giving out free coffee. I totally took advantage by going in. Coolest thing — I was served by DJ Moxy. She recommended the Hylander, which was EXCELLENT. It had hazlenut undertones that required no cream or sugar. They’re always doing coffee giveaways, so keep an eye out.
Besides the flavors, I love that Kickstart’s coffee is never scoldingly hot. It’s always ready to drink right when you order it. I’d like to know just what their temperature setting is, because it’s perfect.
The atmosphere is comfortable too. I love that blue couch in the back. The reading selection is fun — if you have not yet, you must flip through Lost, the book of missing pet posters. It’s horribly sad and funny at the same time. My favorite Lost poster is the one that simply states «Turtle: Find him!»
The staff is the perfect coffeeshop staff. They are immmediately your friends. Ask them about ‘Pizza Turn’.
Triple points for parking right outside the front door.

Appropriately named. Kick start your day with a cup of coffee or you can kick start a motorcycle or motor bike. It’s definitely the place for the person on the go. They sell motorcycles like Royal Enfield, a small company out of Minnesota. Much like the name implies the Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle (one of the models sold) is a classic from England started in 1949.
Drinks and baked goods are another thing. Kick Start carries baked goods from local bakeries like Bakery Gingham in German Village, Pattycake Bakery (a vegan bakery) in Clintonville and ABC Cookie Co. in the Arena District. Their drink list includes coffees and teas, some of which are organic and fair trade. I tried a chocolate chair, of which they also offered me a shot of espresso for no extra charge and I happily obliged. It was frothy, sweet and soul warming and the perfect thing on such a bitter cold day.
The people are also very friendly and willing to answer questions and are helpful at that. Be sure to check out the interesting artwork on the walls as well.

This is on the coffee-​shop specifically. I can’t afford a scooter, but they’ve seemed nice enough when I was just looking at those a few weeks ago.
The coffee-​shop is officially open! It’s looking decent, though pretty bare and undefined at this point. Give a bit of time and they’ll get up some art, fill out the floor-​space a little more, and this could be a very nice place.
Aesthetically, there’s a lot of promise. The ceilings are not too high or too low — it feels cozy but not claustrophobic. The lighting is good — nice big windows that don’t totally blaze every corner, and good localized lighting for individual tables.
Edit: The Floor is concrete, painted a yellow-​orange-​peach sort of color. I don’t like it as much as a hardwood floor, but it works with the décor. And it’s not as bad as tile.
They’ve got some store merch for sale, and little snacks and candies.
Other than that, the coffee tastes good, and the location is central — right in the Short North.
Provisionally, I’ll give them a four, because they’ve got potential. It could get really good, or it could get mediocre.

Since the coffee in this «coffee and scooters» shop isn’t yet available, it’s tough to judge The Kickstart accurately. It’s certainly a clever-​as-​hell concept: Drink coffee and shop for a scooter. As of now, the shop isn’t too inviting. It’s under construction, and it’s a tad intimidating if you aren’t a schooled scooter fan. I know I was a bit nervous when I stopped by. We’ll see where things go.
Scooter and bike shops have be popping up all along High St. lately. Do any have coffee? I doubt it.
Look for an update when the coffee starts brewing.

Traveling down High St. yesterday I noticed a pack of scooters that appeared to be on display outside the building that houses the Salon Lofts on 1^st and HIgh, so I stopped to check it out.
Kick Start is the new brainchild of local entrepaneur Chris Cannon, and is basically a combo concept — merging a coffee shop with a scooter dealership. Cannon told Colubus Alive this week that the idea was born from his love of coffee and his wife’s love of their scooters. He is hoping that a laid back atmosphere and baristas that are able to answer questions about scooters — coupled with really high gas prices — will equal sales. After all, the scooters will get bwtween 70 and 100 miles per gallon for a price tag between $ 2000 and $ 2700.
Right now, however, there is no coffee and no coffee shop because it is still under construction. The scooter dealer next door is already up and running, but since I am not considering buying a scooter, nor did I really feel like taking one for a spin, I had no reason to stay any longer than a quick chat. The only reason for the 3 star rating right now is soley for the lack of coffee, and I am looking forward to being able to stop in for a cup of dark roast and a rousiing conversation about some scooters.