While we wait for the fall weather to catch up with the official start of the season, people are already beginning to enjoy fall traditions and activities. From apple-picking to carving pumpkins to anything fall-flavored, we all have our favorite customs. One trend that has taken the fall season by storm is the Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Starbucks is the original inventor and distributor of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, creating its signature flavor and launching the invention in 2003 as part of the company’s special seasonal flavors. At first, the drink was only released at the Starbucks locations in Vancouver and Washington D.C., but it was an immediate hit with the customers and was soon expanded to their other locations. 

20 years later, the Pumpkin Spice Latte has become Starbucks’ most successful seasonal drink with hundreds of millions sold over the past 20 years during the fall seasons. Their menu has also expanded to include their Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte, which are available during the fall season as well.

Before the creation of the Pumpkin Spice Latte by Starbucks, the pumpkin spice flavor and scent was not yet present in the marketplace. Now in 2023, you can’t walk into a store during the fall season without seeing a pumpkin spice-flavored drink, candle or a variety of other products emulating the signature combination. 

The extreme popularity of the Pumpkin Spice Latte took off with the arrival of social media sites Facebook and Twitter in 2006. Media exposure through celebrity endorsements, viral videos and more brought the Pumpkin Spice Latte to its current status as a cultural symbol of fall. The original Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte has also been copied by innumerable coffee shops and can be found in almost every store that you visit in the fall. 

In Liberty and nearby areas, some of my personal favorite places for a Pumpkin Spice Latte (hot or iced) include:

Starbucks: There are various locations around Liberty. You can never go wrong with the original.

Hammerhand Coffee: Located near Downtown Liberty, Hammerhand offers their delicious Spiced Pumpkin Latte and Spiced Pumpkin Chai drinks that have a perfect blend of fall spices.

Paisley Perk: Located in Kearney (a short 15 minute drive from Jewell). Their Pumpkin Pie Latte has a rich flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the espresso.

Make sure to take advantage of these indulgent flavors before they disappear at the end of the season!

Hammerhand has been a go-to coffee shop for many William Jewell College students since its opening in 2016. The company brews its own coffee and offers everything from basic pour-over to espresso milkshakes. The shop had to close in June because of structural concerns and landlord disagreements. Alex Merrell, the owner and operator, has high hopes that they will be able to reopen at their new location soon with some exciting new features. 

In June, the original Hammerhand location started to experience structural challenges and landlord struggles.

“Ultimately what led to the closure was a conflict with the landlord. We had some constructional concerns, and historically have throughout the course of us being there,” Merrell said. “I started hearing what I thought was something crumbling inside the walls, which made me very concerned, and the landlord just wasn’t handling the concerns properly, and this also happened to be when we were in the middle of renegotiation.” 

Hammerhand chose to not renew their lease and to protect their customers and business by switching locations. 

The new location is at 249 West Mill Street, only blocks away from the old location. Some new exciting features of the new space are more seating room and a parking lot. The shop is also pursuing a new theme and menu.

“We’ve had this new location for about two and a half months now and we are working on getting contractors and city approval, which has been a very frustrating and difficult task due to [COVID-19] and the demand of contractors rising and permits being stacked up in the city department,” stated Merrell.

While Hammarhand can’t offer an exact timeline or date due to these complications, Merrell is hopeful that construction can be completed in the next month with the opening taking place by the end of the year.

“It’s a pretty unique opportunity actually. We’re effectively starting a brand new business, but we already have clients, so there’s certainly a bright side to it, even though it has been frustrating. We get to reinvent ourselves a little bit here,” Merrell said. 

At the new location, Hammerhand is excited to offer a full bakery with a  pastry chef making baked goods in-house – so customers can get breakfast and coffee at one location. 

With the new location, Hammerhand is redoing its aesthetic to be quite different from the previous location.  

“We’re doing brighter colors and fancy floral wallpaper. The layout will be different.” Merrell said. “But overall the core business will be the same,” 

With all of these new features, many are finding it hard to wait for the reopening. Until then, Hammerhand coffee is available at Liberty’s Hyvee and online on their website. Hammerhand coffee can also be found at PH Coffee in Pendleton Heights, Crepe KC in Gladstone, Paisley Perk in Karney and Cornerstone Coffee in Smithville. 

City Market Coffee House

Nestled in the bustling City Market, the City Market Coffee House has a relaxed and cozy atmosphere and superb coffee. Their menu has plenty of options, and their drink of the day is always delightful. A popular drink is the “Vietnamese Iced Coffee,” which is espresso and sweetened condensed milk over ice.

It is on the smaller side, but there is additional seating outside. A spiral staircase leads to a tiny upstairs with limited seating, but if you manage to get a seat, it is a perfect place to study. You can use a trip to the coffeehouse to explore the rest of the City Market, home to affordable restaurants, shopping, produce and a weekend farmers market.

Thou Mayest

Thou Mayest is the sort of coffee shop that makes one proud to call KC their home. The name means “the way is open,” and this coffee shop is the perfect place to try new things. The coffee is of exceptional quality. Their non-caffeine menu is also good. They have pastries from Heirloom Bakery. I recommend the homemade pop tart. Their menu is extensive and maybe a little intimidating, but I suggest the “Wild Child” coffee. It is a dark roast with a full and fruity flavor.

The shop has two floors and plenty of places to sit and study or talk. I would suggest studying here in the morning or early afternoon, as Thou Mayest also serves alcohol and becomes more of a cocktail bar in the evenings.

The Filling Station

The Filling station has locations in Overland Park, Kan., Midtown and Westport. Each location has a different vibe. The one in Midtown is my personal favorite. Located in an old car garage, this location really delivers on the “filling station” aspect. It is a bright and open space with a relaxed atmosphere, excellent for either studying or chatting. The menu provides a variety of brews, an assortment of pastries and breakfast items and a selection of fresh-pressed juices. Juices are definitely the highlight. Their “liquid sunshine” is aptly named and a favorite.

Hi Hat

Tucked in a neighborhood, this tiny coffeehouse has a cozy feel and many delicious menu options. Though the inside has only two tables, there is plenty of outdoor seating. I tried the Bumblebee latte with a delicious cinnamon and honey flavor, a customer favorite. With it’s friendly and obliging baristas, delicious and reasonably-priced coffee and adorable and charming atmosphere, you can’t leave Hi Hat in a bad mood.

Hammerhand

Located half a mile off campus in Liberty Square and providing a 10 percent discount for Jewell students, Hammerhand provides the perfect place for Jewell students to get coffee, study or just leave campus for a while. The visual aspect is striking. With its high ceilings, brightly lit space and pops of turquoise, Hammerhand has created a space that doesn’t look like any other coffee shop around.

Hammerhand serves strong and flavorful coffee from Oddly Correct roasterie. If you are a black coffee lover, I suggest trying the current black coffee offering. If you like coffee a little sweeter, you might ask about their current seasonal drink, which usually has unique flavors and interesting combinations. A popular drink right now is the Mayan Mocha with a spicy, chocolatey flavor.

Honorable Mentions:

Quay Coffee

Located in the River Market district of Kansas City, Quay provides a simple but effective coffee menu and a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere.

The Roasterie

This Kansas City classic provides well-made, delicious drinks and a relaxed space.

YJ’s Snack Bar

A distinct and unique atmosphere, YJ’s is a wonderful place to drink coffee, eat and listen to Jazz.

Photos by Hannah Koehler.