These days Tyler Texas may actually, have more coffee shops than it does private schools, and that is quite a statement. They range from every- day, drive through spots like Starbucks to cool hipster locations like the Foundry downtown. I should say I approve of all of them for specific reasons. I like Starbucks, taken for what it is. I’ve had really, good Starbucks coffee, and I’ve had not so good Starbucks coffee, depending on the day. If I’m out with my wife I would probably choose to go to the Foundry, for its atmosphere. The place is full of nooks and crannies, corners, and side rooms where patrons can hold private conversations, or study in relative seclusion. And I should add the coffee is consistently quite a bit better than Starbucks.
But there’s another option; my favorite option actually. Brady’s has been in Tyler for a long time! Almost ten years ago now I was a new single dad, I was teaching literature and history at a local private school, that could not afford to pay me a salary during the summer, and I was subsisting largely on the money I was making writing articles for this Directory. And every day that and the next couple of summers, I would spend hours at what I called “my office,” sitting and writing at Brady’s. Of course, I have other associations, like the summers my church men’s group spent our Thursday evenings studying and discussing scripture and theology.
Romanticism aside Brady’s is locally owned and operated with an established clientele, every bit as loyal as I am. I’ve have encountered priests of every denomination, nuns, lawyers, teachers, doctors, chefs, retired persons… And they all know what I know; that despite the coffee shop’s small size and open floor plan, Brady’s really does have the best coffee in town. Brady’s is located at 309 West Rusk in Tyler. Week day hour are from 7am to 4pm, and Saturdays 8am to 2pm. They are closed on Sunday.