What an improvement…Today was my first train ride out of the new and improved Milwaukee train station and it is quite the improvement. The bathrooms are no longer scary…the seating/waiting area and check-in desks are clean and updated. The parking lot is bigger. Big, beautiful windows.

As I waited for the 8am train, even more tired then usual as I’m still getting used to “springing forward”, what I really needed was a good cup of coffee. Is that too much to ask? Did the designers of the new train station think that a vending coffee machine is all that is needed? I don’t understand how there isn’t a café/coffee cart/kiosk…something to get a fresh cup of coffee before getting on the train. It can’t be that expensive to have a kiosk to get your basic coffee options: coffee, lattes or a chai tea…it’s not expensive to brew coffee and it seems like it would be a no-brainer. We have plenty of coffee vendor options here in Milwaukee: Alterra, Stone Creek (ironically, across the street) and Starbucks…any coffee will do. People would pay for it…they are either traveling for business and will expense it anyway or they are will buy a Grande no-fat, extra hot, no whip, mocha latte or a black coffee while on their way for a day of shopping in the Windy City and don’t mind spending $4.50 for a coffee drink. It would be one thing if there were a coffee option on the train – but again NO…not even a beverage cart. They save that for the 5pm train ride home…they sell beer and I’m sure it’s not cheap…but no coffee for the 8am train?! As I ponder this at 7:30 in the morning, I look around and see others that have already come to this realization and planned ahead – they have their Grande coffees in hand…I was jealous. So if anyone is looking at opening a business…open a coffee kiosk at the train station and I promise you will make money. Heck, you may even want to sell some bagels, scones, muffins and/or donuts to go with it.

KGMommy