#savehighlandcoffees

It’s hard to think of anyone more recognizable in Highland Coffees than Maryland Batiste. A long time Highland supporter, Maryland has been warming hearts at the shop since 1992. You can normally find him on the armchairs by the door, headphones on, listening to music on his computer (a donation from a Highland regular), or on the courtyard telling stories to friends and strangers.

“Clarke has done a lot because he helps people in so many ways and knows all about the community,” says Maryland while sipping on tea. “I was sad when I got the news [about the closing].”

Over the years Maryland has become close friends with virtually every Highland employee. Two years ago Highland employees, alumni, and shop regulars set up a fund to pay for Maryland’s new dentures. With Clarke’s blessing and support, and donations from the community, the fund raised several thousand dollars and Maryland got a new smile in July of 2013. 

“We don’t need to lose this institution,” says Maryland, “it’s like family and a home away from home. If we lose this place, I wouldn’t know what to do.

Photos by Claire Elyse Photography

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By Nick BeJeaux On September 29, Highland Coffees, a cultural fixture of the Northgate community, announced it would close its doors forever on Christmas Eve. For 25 years, the shop’s owner, Clarke...

Read it now!

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Highland Coffees is a great intellectual center in Baton Rouge. It’s a place where you can find people of many different countries and backgrounds playing chess or discussing history. It’s one of the few places in the city where I feel relaxed, and it’s the place where I met most of the friends I have.

-- Submitted anonymously by a member of the LSU staff

I have been a Highland customer since it opened its doors in 1989. The coffee is beyond compare. Very few people go to the lengths Clarke goes to in order to select a high quality coffee and roast the beans in house. The nature of the atmosphere is incomparable. There is a great sense of community - almost family - at the shop, where I have made friends for life. It is a great melting pot of people and ideas. It is the single most urban location in Baton Rouge, with a mixture of different races, economic backgrounds, and alternative ideas. A community like this wouldn’t happen in any other situation, be it a restaurant, a retail store, etc.

-- Submitted anonymously by a longtime member of the Highland Community

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http://jiveflamingo.wordpress.com

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Shared from the @Highland Coffees Facebook page. Submit your memories here! We want to know your #highlandstory.

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