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THE PROS Custom equipment can set or build on the theme for your café, and it can add value, personalization, and functionality to your bar while helping streamline the workflow process and rhythms. As a theme setter, the equipment can incorporate colors, surface finishes, and aspects from the overall café or bar design. The equipment then becomes a focal point for the theme or plays a supporting role to the overall aesthetic. Additionally, customization adds value to equipment by making it unique or "limited edition." It is also a way to pair equipment with the space and feel of a company, making the business more appealing and valuable. A well thought out and designed piece of customized equipment can be a business-growth catalyst that influences image, brand recognition, local popularity, and word-of-mouth advertising. Custom equipment reflects the diverse flair and personality of individuals working in our creative and varied industry, from the tame and traditional espresso sipper to the wild exhibitionist doing a handstand while pouring a rosetta. Custom equipment can showcase the aim and focus of a business, helping it stand out and differentiate itself from others in the industry. PERSONALIZED FUNCTIONALITY Racer Series Mazzer Roburs These were designed for the 2012 Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Conference to highlight customizing with original designs. These were inspired by classic motorcycle design and the café racer culture of the early 1960s. Their spirit of friendly competition reminded us of the feeling and drive behind barista competitions. These grinders have multiple layers of powder coatings, some with metal flake topcoats. All have hand-painted pinstriping done by a talented local pinstripe artist. The customization process required removal of all of the external body parts, as well as all internal parts, including the motor. Reassembly is the most fun, where you experience the transformation in steps as the machine takes shape again with its new look. These grinders were a hit at the SCAA in Portland, Ore., and we ended the show by happily sending one to Costa Rica, two to Everyman Espresso in Manhattan, N.Y., with the last one going to Dichotomy Coffee & Spirits in Waco, Texas. Functional customization can turn an ordinary machine into an extraordinary tool for creating beverages. Off-the-shelf functionality of equipment can sometimes be a hurdle for visual flow and cohesion on the customer side of the bar, as well as affect productive workflow behind the bar. In the past, stock-machine function was a given we all accepted and worked with; today, customization gives you the option to reassess machine function, flow, and the barista-machine interface. It gives you the opportunity to have your equipment modified to meet your wants and needs. Of course, there are limitations to what can be done based on your machine choice, budget, and availability of qualified custom shops, but the options to modify and innovate far outweigh the limits. Customization helps to bridge the gap between the equipment manufacturer and the barista by shining a spotlight on aspects of machines and grinders that baristas, café owners, and the industry would like to change or enhance. It helps push those involved in the industry to innovate, and it influences the status quo for the entire spectrum of specialty coffee. GETTING STARTED If you're confident you want to get some of your café equipment customized, a good place to begin is by determining whether you want a custom look, or if you are after a machine that functions differently than it was originally built to. If you are looking to change the appearance of your equipment, one cosmetic modification that is popular and relatively inexpensive is to have your equipment custom colored. Metal parts and pieces can be powder coated in almost any color (Article text continued on p. 79. Examples continued on p. 77.) 76 barista magazine