Spotlight: Visiting Skellig Michael

By: Michael Kerrigan

One of the highlights of my trip overseas from North Carolina to attend Star Wars Celebration 2016 was the incredible opportunity to tour Skellig Michael, where the final scene of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was filmed, the week before.  I had saved up three weeks of vacation time to justify the cost of traveling abroad, and formulated an itinerary to work my way up from Spain to Ireland in the hopes of stepping foot on the island before the convention and my eventual return home.  To be safe, I booked this tour with Casey’s Skellig Island Tours in mid-March, but there was no guarantee that weather conditions would cooperate.  I had one day for this plan to work because that evening I’d have to travel to Dublin before my week-long Paddywagon tour started the following morning.  Would the Force be with me?

Thankfully, the weather conditions were great and I enjoyed a 45 min. boat ride out to the island.  I was absolutely delighted the closer and closer we got to Ach-To Skellig Michael. I befriended a Canadian named Rich who had originally made plans in 2015 to visit the island because it’s a UNESCO Heritage Site.  However, he was even more excited after seeing The Force Awakens and wanted to photograph himself walking among the Beehive huts just as Rey did.  One of his first questions to me as we journeyed to Skellig was “Did you bring your lightsaber?”  My Vader hoodie must have given it away! 

That’s the best part of the Star Wars experience… making friends along the way from all across the globe. 

The island itself is so incredibly beautiful, with such a great number of puffins and birdlife that aren’t afraid of being close to people.  “The Jedi Steps” echoed in my head as I ascended the steps (though I wasn’t completely in tune with the Force due to the amount of other tourists milling around).  The pictures really don’t do it justice; it might just be the coolest place I’ve ever visited.  Upon reaching the monastery, the day’s visitors learned about its rich history, and Rich and I reenacted the scene from the film as best we could (with a few added extras).  On the way down, I was able to take a few photos with a certain “elegant weapon from a more civilized age” you may have seen before.  I’m not sure how close we were to the final shot of the film, but we were both happy with the effort made to find it.

The ride ended with a pass around Little Skellig (I think it’s pretty obvious why they didn’t use this one for filming...let's just say I don’t think you all would be happy with me if I these photos were scratch-n-sniff!) 

I HIGHLY recommend all Star Wars fans make the extra effort to visit the Skelligs.  Many locals--including my tour guide--hadn’t been yet, even if they know its history.  Brendan Casey, my boat captain who’s been doing the tour for 25 years(!!), was able to transport me from the Sive Hostel in Cahersiveen to the Portmagee docks the morning of the voyage.  However, booking in advance is a priority, due to the high number of visitors.  I hope this read and images are enjoyable and encouraging, and feel free to let me know if you have any questions!

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Spotlight: A Visit to Ahch-To (Skellig Michael)

A photo from my trip to Skellig Michael...I can't believe I just said that!

By: Dominic Jones

One of the most visually stunning new locations seen in Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the island where Rey finds the missing Luke Skywalker hiding out at the end of the film.  The shooting for this scene took place in late July 2014, when director JJ Abrams and stars Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley travelled to County Kerry to film on Skellig Michael, an island off the west coast of Ireland.  This week, in advance of my trip to Star Wars Celebration Europe in London next month, I made the same journey out to County Kerry to see the iconic location for myself.

(NOTE: Though Luke’s hide-out planet is not named in the film, the script revealed that it is named Ahch-To--pronounced "Act Two".  Given that this is a nod to the fact that it is setting up Episode VIII, the second act of the trilogy, the planet may very well get a new name when we return there in December 2017).

After flying from Toronto to Dublin, I travelled across Ireland by train and bus to the town of Cahersiveen where I stayed for two nights.  With my arrangements set to visit Skellig in the morning, I went to bed the night before feeling like it was Christmas Eve.  In the morning, however, I awoke to a sight I feared: rain. Lots of rain.  It looked like my trip to the island would be cancelled.  And sure enough, when the local man who had arranged my trip to Skellig arrived, he informed me that all trips to the island had been cancelled.

Disappointed, I began to look into seeing how difficult it would be to rearrange my trip to allow me to stay another day and take another stab at visiting Skellig Michael (the answer: Very).  Fortunately, not half an hour later, I received a phone call saying conditions had improved enough for boats to go out to see the island but not actually land there.  This was good enough for me, so fifteen minutes later I was in the car on my way to Portmagee (the town from which the boats to Skellig Michael leave).

When I got to Portmagee, these were the first things I saw,

I think I'm in the right place #StarWars #TheForceAwakens #SkelligMichael

A photo posted by Dominic Jones (@dominicj25) on Jun 28, 2016 at 1:33am PDT

They know their audience in Portmagee! #StarWars #TheForceAwakens #SkelligMichael

A photo posted by Dominic Jones (@dominicj25) on Jun 28, 2016 at 6:59am PDT

From there we boarded the boats and were given some "highly fashionable" light blue rain jackets and life jackets.  The boat's captain informed us that there was a small chance that we would be able to land at the island and to keep our fingers crossed (without getting our hopes up too high).  We then set off for Skellig. The seas were rocky, and a few of my fellow passengers got seasick as a result.  But soon enough, the iconic island was in sight.

Before we go any further, may I suggest some mood music,

Unfortunately, conditions were still deemed unsafe and we were not able to land on the island.  While it was certainly a disappointment that I wouldn’t be able to step foot where Rey and Luke had stood, simply seeing the island with my own eyes was extraordinary.

Unfortunately, rain in the morning combined with the winds meant that we couldn't actually stop at Skellig Michael. But we got pretty close, so I'm not upset. Plus it gives me an excuse to come back! #SkelligMichael #StarWars #TheForceAwakens #Travel

A photo posted by Dominic Jones (@dominicj25) on Jun 28, 2016 at 4:13am PDT

The Jedi Steps (as seen from the boat) #StarWars #TheForceAwakens #SkelligMichael

A photo posted by The Star Wars Underworld (@theswu) on Jun 28, 2016 at 6:06am PDT

The first Jedi temple (at the top of the cliff) as seen from the boat #SkelligMichael #StarWars #TheForceAwakens

A photo posted by The Star Wars Underworld (@theswu) on Jun 28, 2016 at 6:53am PDT

Took a boat tour out to #SkelligMichael (where the final scene of #StarWars #TheForceAwakens was shot). Sadly, poor weather the night before prevented us from landing on the island. Regardless, it is an impressive (most impressive) sight to behold - @dominicj25

A photo posted by The Star Wars Underworld (@theswu) on Jun 28, 2016 at 5:42am PDT

Just being able to see the island and some of those locations, even from the boat, was fantastic.  Skellig Michael is awe-inspiring and beautiful location.  Seen up close, you can really understand why JJ Abrams and the Lucasfilm crew chose to film there.  It is also incredible to see that there was virtually nothing done to enhance the location in post production.  In an age when so many stunning locations are created or enhanced, to see a location fit so perfectly with the needs of the story is amazing.

Visiting Skellig Michael, even though I never actually got to set foot there, has been a highlight of my Star Wars fandom.  Getting to see in person some of those locations we saw on screen  is something I will never forget.  And the fact that I wasn't able to actually walk around on the island it just gives me the excuse to go back one day!

For more about Skellig Michael, check out the behind the scenes featurette from The Force Awakens,

To see more from my vacation, including my visit to some Game of Thrones filming locations, follow me on Instagram: @DominicJ25

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Spotlight: In Search of the First Jedi Temple

By: Chris Lynn

Living in Ireland it has been awesome seeing the reports of our little island being a filming location for the sequel trilogy. When it was first reported that Star Wars would be filming in Ireland my Facebook was a buzz, fans and friends from all over the country saying how we should go check it out and this past weekend members of the 501st Ireland Garrison and Rebel Legion Ireland did exactly that!

Now our expectations were realistic, we knew that principal photography in Ireland was finished and stars, Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver had already left the country. But Ireland was now a Star Wars location, up there with Norway, Tunisia, Italy and the rest and we waited to be there when it was still 'fresh'.

So Saturday morning at the crack of dawn we started the 5 hour drive to Dingle, Co Kerry. Growing up in Ireland I've always appreciated the beauty of our landscape but now it has an added factor... the closer you get to Co Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula the more you start to feel like you could be in Star Wars!

We arrived around lunch time, checked into our guest house for night and got directions out to the set and Cean Sibeal from our host. (By the way I believe the pronunciation is Cown She-ball, I don't speak Gaelic myself but my ears were peeled for how the locals said it!) The decision was then made to throw caution, humility, self respect and anything else to the wind and get kitted up in our costumes, drive out to Cean Sibeal and simply see how far we could get. As we all jumped into the car we had to pause and acknowledge just how nerdy we were being, dressed in Jedi robes approaching an active Star Wars set!

We hadn't even seen anything yet, but knowing we were within a few miles of the location we were like kids on Christmas. We had approximate directions but didn't know exactly where we'd find it or what we'd see and as the car turned a corner and we got our first view of the Episode VIII set at the top of the hill the atmosphere was electric.

First chance we got we piled out of the car, dressed our stormtrooper (stormtroopers cant sit down in cars) and got pics with the set in the background. It may not look like much but to us fans this was enough, we were looking at an actual set from a Star Wars movie. I'd best describe it as that same feeling Ben mentioned on the latest SWU Podcast Bonus Show when you're at Celebration and even without queuing to get autographs, its enough to know you're in the same room as Star Wars celebrities.

Satisfied that we'd done it, we'd made the long trek and seized the opportunity to see the set while it was here in Ireland it was time to see what else we could manage. Using an SLR as a telescope (if you go set hunting bring binoculars!)  we planned out our route to try and approach the set and as we got closer and closer we stopped the car several more times for more photos.

Ultimately we hit a roadblock, literally. I know this is just a van parked in a tiny Irish village but this is the closest point we got and to us as fans this was an awesome moment. This was less than a mile from the set, we pulled up beside the van and the man in the high vis jacket just stood and shook his head at us while the lady simply looked annoyed. Cant blame them at all, after all we were 4 people in Star Wars costumes trying to get on to their set, we couldn't have been more cliche if we'd tried!

Not at all upset about it, we had our pictures with the set behind us and we were happy, we started to head back to Dingle, resigned to that the fact that this was as far as we were going to get. Then the mist over the sea cleared and we realized we could see Skellig Michael across the water! Stop the car again and jump out for more pics! 

On this part of the peninsula there were more tourists and as we stopped in a fairly busy car park we were swarmed by people wanting pictures with Star Wars characters and we were honest when repeatedly asked 'Are you part of the movie?' To which we answered 'We wish!' Travelling back to Dingle for the evening we got one more very cool bonus, some actual Clocháns (those beehive looking buildings that we fans now associate with Ahch-To). This time when we stopped the car I'm pretty sure we left half the rubber from the tires on the road!

Eventually we made our way back to Dingle for the evening and still in costume we took a tour around the town. People in Ireland love to tell stories and that night everyone wanted to tell stories about Star Wars. Stories about Mark Hamill walking his dog, Daisy Ridley dancing the night away in the local bars and Adam Driver with his four body guards hitting the gym.

We even got chatting with some of the crew, we walked into one bar full of locals chanting 'NDA NDA NDA' like a football (sorry, soccer) chant and we were introduced to a guy involved with transport and logistics who had stories about episode 7 out in Abu Dhabi and some very odd sounding tidbits about Episode VIII...

POTENTIAL (MINOR) SPOILER WARNING (if its even true!)

We learned a couple of things from the locals and from the local crew, take with a pinch of salt but we believe what they told us was true as far as they know;

• During the last week of filming explosions could be heard from the set that echoed across the peninsula implying a big battle scene
• No stormtroopers were seen on set - the local crew (after a few beers) told us our stormtrooper was the first they'd seed
• This is where it gets weird... we were told that there was a top secret animatronic 'Sea Cow'...

END Of SPOILERS

Our experience may have been little more than a brush with Star Wars but to us it was worth the trip and I for one have certainly got the bug for visiting Star Wars locations. Next month we head to Donegal (dunny-gawl) to visit the Falcon landing area filmed in Malin Head and I'm already thinking of ways I can do visits to other European locations. Did we succeed in finding the first Jedi Temple? We feel like we did and I hope this report shares even a taste of the atmosphere and feeling when visiting a Star Wars location. If Star Wars films or has filmed near you, go there...

Irish Chris

501st and Rebel Legion Ireland

(If you liked this please head over and like our new Jedi Temple Facebook Page - Ahch-To Jedi Temple, our local Jedi detachment as part of the Rebel Legion where we post regular pics of Jedi Knights in Irish locations)

Photo Credits: Without a Stitch

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Spotlight: 'Star Wars' Oscar Acceptance Speeches

By: Dominic Jones

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is up for five Oscars at tonight's Academy Awards.  Before the ceremony kicks off tonight, let's look back at the times Star Wars films won Oscars, beginning with the most successful Oscar night the galaxy far, far away ever had.  Back at the 1978 ceremony Star Wars was up for ten golden statues and won six of them: Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects.  Check out the acceptance speeches below,

In addition, Mark Hamill (along with C-3PO and R2-D2) appeared to present a special achievement Oscar to Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind for Sound.  Check it out below,



Looks like the droids will be on hand once again at tonight's ceremony.  The Academy tweeted out this picture yesterday,

Surprise! Look who we just ran into at #Oscars rehearsals! pic.twitter.com/p4PWL2HnKN

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) February 28, 2016

Star Wars' only other big award win at the Oscars came three years later when The Empire Strikes Back won for Sound Mixing.  Check out Lando himself, Billy Dee Williams, and Bernadette Peters present the award below,


Both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi also picked up special achievement awards for Visual effects at the 1981 and 1984 Oscars respectively,

None of the Star Wars Prequels won any Academy Awards, however they did pick up several nominations. The Phantom Menace was nominated for Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects, Attack of The Clones picked up a nod for Visual effects, and Revenge of the Sith was nominated for Best Makeup.

Hopefully we'll have several more acceptance speeches to add to list after tonight's ceremony.  The Force Awakens is nominated for Film Editing, Original Score, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects.  In addition, both director JJ Abrams and star Daisy Ridley will be on hand as presenters at the Chris Rock hosted ceremony.

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Spotlight: 'These Are the Actors You're Looking For' (Web Series)

By: Dominic Jones

Star Wars: The Force Awakens featured the returns of many of the main characters from the original trilogy to the big screen, reprising roles they hadn't played since 1983.  But, as great as was to see Luke, Han, and Leia again, what about the other actors from previous Star Wars films who didn't get their moment back on the big screen.  Comedian Jamie Stangroom spent the last year tracking down many of the old favorites from the previous six films and having them audition for the new film.  He's now released the fruits of his labor as a web series on YouTube titled These Are the Actors You're Looking For.

The first two episodes are available now on Stangroom's YouTube channel, with many more to come.  The first features Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett) and the second features Paul Blake (Greedo).  You can check them out below,

The third episode will be available soon and will feature actor Ahmed Best, auditioning to have Jar Jar Binks brought back in the sequel trilogy.

Make sure to subscribe to Jamie Stangroom on YouTube so as to never miss an episode and "Like" the show on Facebook for updates on new episodes!

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Spotlight: Star Wars Pens From Cross

By: Benjamin Hart

This time of year is usually special simply because of the holiday season, but now thanks to The Force Awakens we have an incredible Star Wars Christmas to look forward to! Of course, in between viewings of the new film you're going to have to take care of shopping for your loved ones, and if any of them are Star Wars fans we have just the perfect gift for them. Cross Pens, who have been hard at work crafting top of the line writing instruments since 1846, recently introduced several stunning new lines of Star Wars themed pens that are sure to be a useful keepsake for any fan.

The first collection consists of three limited edition pens from their Townsend line. These unique pens are styled to represent Darth Vader, C-3PO and Imperial Stormtroopers and also include the option of fountain or rollerball. The Threepio pen is is covered in 23kt gold plating giving it a a truly authentic feel. It also should be noted that only 1,977 of each character are being produced, and each pen is numbered accordingly. Be sure to grab them while you can!

You can buy them here!

Next up is cross' Click Collection, which features the same three characters in the form of a sleek and versatile pen. The C-3PO, Darth Vader and Stormtrooper designs include the click propel and repel mechanism and come encased in matching character themed gift boxes.

Buy them here!

And finally, a perfect companion to the pens is their Jotzone journals. These books are also themed for C-3PO, Darth Vader and Stormtroopers. Each cover features an embossed character emblem and a pen holder in the spine of the journal. Gift sets pairing each click pen with it's corresponding journal are also available.

You can grab those here!

These will definitely will make excellent gifts for the Star Wars fans in your life this holiday season, or maybe just treat yourself! Either way, you won't regret buying one of Cross' awesome Star Wars products!

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Spotlight: Larson Jewelers' Star Wars Rings

By: Dominic Jones

We can all agree that there has never been a better time to be a Star Wars fan.  With new movies Star Wars rings coming out yearly, there are lots reasons and occasions to display your fandom loud and proud.  The team at Larson Jewelers are doing just that with their line of Star Wars rings, perfect for fans who want to do the same.  Their collection features plenty of variety, from subtle references to rings featuring big iconic characters and logos.  Some highlights from their collection include their awesome "Battle of Hoth" ring, rings featuring the Rebel Alliance logo and Mandolorian logo, and a spinner ring with the ten words that make any Star Wars fans heart flutter.  Not to mention, the Holidays are just around the corned and a Star Wars ring would make for a unique gift for the Star Wars fans in your life!

'The Battle of Hoth' Ring

One of the newer pieces from Larson Jewlers, this tungsten ring depicts the epic battle between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire from the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back.  The ring features rebel snow speeders, as well as the Echo Base ion cannon, on one half and AT-ATs, AT-STs, and snow troopers on the other (see the complete image below).  In addition, the snowy mountains of Hoth are represented in the background, offering more detail to an already impressive (most impressive) piece.  What's really unique about this ring, however, is it manages to be both subtle and incredibly detailed.  On first glance you may not notice that this ring is Star Wars making it perfect if you want to sneak a little Star Wars into a non-Star Wars event, however when you look at it closely it contains enough detail to impress any Star Wars fan.  Order yours here.

The Rebel Alliance ring

If the subtlety of the 'Hoth' ring isn't your speed, the Rebel Alliance logo ring may be for you.  There's no hiding your fandom with this ring (not that you ever should), the bright orange song bird insignia used by the Rebel Alliance in the original trilogy is front and center on this ring.  The rebel logo represents multiple generations of fans, as the rebel logo was first introduced back in the original trilogy, but is still seen today in the sequel trilogy (the symbol has been picked up by the Resistance) and with a variant of the classic logo seen on Star Wars Rebels.  This means this ring will never go out of style.  The ring is big and flashy, perfect for swearing your allegiance to the Rebel Alliance, and for displaying you fandom loud and proud with a symbol fans everywhere will recognize.   Order yours here.

The Mandalorian ring

When it comes to secondary characters with their own massive fan following, you don't get any bigger and better than Boba Fett.  Fett's brief appearance in The Empire Strikes Back, and subsequently in Return of the Jedi launched as massive fan base of people intrigued by the bounty hunter.  This lead to his backstory being told in Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars, as well as countless action figures, collectibles, and, now, rings!  This ring is perfect for Boba Fett fanboys and fangirls, with six of his iconic Mythosaur skull logos covering the ring.  This ring is truly for the fans, with something iconic enough for Star Wars fans to recognize, but subtle enough it work in any situation.  Order yours here.

A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away spinner ring
Admit it, just seeing the words "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away....", gets you a little excited!  And we all can't wait to see those words up on the big screen again very soon.  This ring features those iconic words wrapped around it's exterior.  The ring is a spinner ring, meaning you can spin the center of the ring, allowing the iconic words to be in completion at any time.  The spinner is a nice a feature, that makes this ring stand out.  Like the "Mandalorian" ring, this ring is subtle, however unlike the "Mandalorian ring" the iconic nature of the words on the ring make it so that everyone can appreciate it, no matter their level of interest in the films.  The words "A long time a go in a galaxy far, far away" carry great meaning for Star Wars fans everywhere, so to be able to always see them on your finger will bring a smile to your face every time.   Order yours here.

Kudos to the Larson Jewelers team for all the great work they do.  You can view their complete collection of Star Wars and other geeky rings (and not so geeky rings) here.

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Spotlight: The Empire Coffee Co.

By: Dominic Jones

With a Star Wars movie coming out every year for the foreseeable future, Star Wars fans will be going to a lot of midnight premieres.  With that comes staying up late--and with staying up comes coffee.  A lot of coffee.  Fans in Newcastle, Australia however, need not look any further than The Empire Coffee Co., be it the night before (or morning after) a midnight premiere or just on their way to work on an average day.

In just the first eight weeks after the Star Wars-inspired coffee shop had opened for business it became clear to owner Glen Fredericks that he had found a niche.  But there was a problem.  "It became obvious from almost the very start that the small shop front wasn't suited to our customers needs," explains Federicks, citing his customers desire to kick back, relax, and talk Star Wars in his shop, which just wasn't big enough.  "I just couldn't handle the disappointment of more people turning up during the week (some were traveling in 2 hours to get to the shop) to be given great coffee, quality service, but not being able to sit down and kick back. So we closed while we've been on the hunt for a new location."

Because of this, Federicks is currently running a crowd funding campaign through Pozible to help with the expansion efforts.  If  The Empire Coffee Co.'s funding goal is reached, Federicks promises a coffee bar experience that is sure to attract Star Wars fans of all types.  

Patrons of the shop can expect to find a variety of of Star Wars memorabilia on display, including action figures, Lego sets, and fan made props and costumes.  But the highlight will be Tuesdays and Thursdays when Fredericks, a member of the 501st Legion, dons his stormtrooper armor to serve coffee.  Knowing that Stormtroopers have a bad rap for being terrible shots, we wondered how Fredericks fared when he first attempted making coffee while clad in the iconic white armor?  Not well, he explains, "It was almost next to impossible to make coffees while wearing the suit and helmet. Thankfully we had enough staff to cover that while I'd have photos taken with customers."

A Star Wars fan since age 6, Federicks explains that the shop wasn't originally going to have a Star Wars connection and it was an accidental suggestion from his wife that got the ball rolling.  "She said four words, but from a completely different mindset," he explains, "The Empire Coffee Co.  It was catchy and she was actually thinking old school British Empire.  But my eyes lit up and by the time it clicked with her that I was thinking Galactic Empire I was already registering the business name and getting the domain name, Facebook vanity URL and Instagram username.  She may have said 'No Star Wars!' but I was too busy screaming 'TOO LATE!'"

At first, the shop wasn't the Star Wars-fan haven it became.  "Those first few days we only had a stormtrooper helmet sitting on the counter which people loved wearing and taking selfies," recalls Federicks.  "But after some 'complaints' (such as "We want more Star Wars!") I then started to bring in toys from my collection and put them around the shop, wherever space was available."

Like Star Wars itself, The Empire Coffee Co. appealed to wide audience, from adults to kids to even a few Trekkies!  Federicks explains that it was the presence of children that helped convince him that more space was needed,  "When the school holidays came along, we had a steady flow of parents bringing in their children. You want to have an in-depth conversation about Star Wars? Have it with a 10 year old who loves the Animated Clone Wars series."

Federicks has big plans for the new location, which is still to be determined, and those plans go far beyond coffee, and even beyond Star Wars.  Federicks envisions weekly trivia nights, "not just about Star Wars, but also throw it open to Star Trek, Dr Who and other films or shows who have a local fan base who'd like to use it as an opportunity to network."  He also envisions workshops for kids during school holidays where talented local costume makes can pass on their knowledge to a new generation.  "These are some of the ideas," says Federicks, "and I have plenty more. It'll be a cafe experience unlike anyone has seen before."

Support The Empire Coffee Co. on Pozible Here

Like The Empire Coffee Co on Facebook Here

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