There’s a new coffee shop in town. Strategically (and possibly fatefully) placed across the street from Starbucks, in the always-busy shopping district of Frisco, Dunn Bros. Coffee has officially opened. I was skeptical at first, because it seemed like a cheap imitation of Starbucks, with a clean-cut storefront locale, with a modern atmosphere and a drive-thru. But I’ve been on a mission to find great coffee outside of the Starbucks empire, and this was an opportunity I couldn’t neglect.

As I walked in, I was correct in my initial observation. It definately had a Starbucks vibe to it, but with a much more “light and fresh” twist to it. The interior was decked out in maple-type wood flooring and furniture, with a khaki brand of merchandising. It was like the morning-version of Starbucks. It was nice for a change.

As I took my first glances around the establishment, I made a very encouraging and exciting observation. There was a counter with a couple of computer consoles (a la Java City, Abilene, TX), which was nice, but no big deal. The item of interest was the small sign informing me that this coffee shop had free Wi-Fi. Glorious. This may not seem like a big deal to most people, but when your life and your work revolve around your PowerBook and internet access, this is huge. Starbucks has Wi-Fi, but it’ll cost you a monthy subcription (which is rediculous). More and more restaurants around here are offering free wireless internet, but as far as coffee shops go, Starbucks is obviously the oppresive king.

So, of course, at this moment I am beginning to root for Dunn Bros. Coffee, and contemplating writing off Starbucks completely. But one final test had to be taken. The taste test. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to buy a cup of coffee or an Americano. I was in the market for whole beans. Soon, I made another important discovery. I saw a coffee roaster. Again, many not see the big deal here, but again, i have to remind you that I’m on a mission. I’m on a mission to find some of the greatest coffee out there (within monetary reason) and that inevitably means the freshest coffee. When a coffee house roasts their coffee in-house, you can’t get much fresher than that. This is another area where Starbucks is sorely lacking. Don’t get me wrong—-Starbucks is very good coffee and pretty fresh tasting, but they don’t roast it themselves.

At Dunn Bros., they don’t sell coffee that is more than three days past it’s roasting day. They write the date right on the bag. You not only get to chose your blend/origin, but you get to chose what roast style you want. Again, glorious.

So, now I’ve had a chance to brew a few pots and take a preliminary taste test. The grade? I’d have to give it an “A”. There’s still a lot of testing to do, though. Different beans and blends, the almighty Americano, flavored Lattes….all must be had eventually. I’ll have a lot to look foward to.