My favorite coffee shop has the atmosphere of an underpaid employee who’s been up all night staring at cigarette packs, gum packs, peanut packs, and whatever customers might be packing under their jacket at 2 a.m.

The space is cramped, though much less than most. And there’s no seating save the restroom.  But it’s my favorite place to get a cup of Joe.

The reason why goes back to the days before the McLatte and before Seattle’s finest gave everyone a working knowledge of Italian.

Before I worked in a coffee shop and an old man of indeterminate lodgings asked me for “a 40 cent cup of coffee” and got one. Before all this, there was a time when I couldn’t spare the change for whipped cream, but wanted a decent cup of coffee nonetheless. So I went to the gas station.

Now not all gas station coffee is created equal.

With their multitude of good brews and embellishments, 7-11 is top-notch. But sadly, there are none in the area.

Circle K is a strong contender. Their house blend packs a punch, even when doused with gallons of sugar and milk.

Handy Hugo is ubiquitous but average. He’s in every gas station it seems from BP to Exxon, but offers just an overdone beverage, pink packets and cream.

Sheetz is lavish, but out of the way. And convenience is, of course, everything.

That leaves Kangaroo. I love the ‘roo. They have three blends of Bean Street Coffee that are strong, flavorful and always fresh. They have syrups—regular and sugar-free, and a machine that squirts out any kind of dairy product you want. They even have vanilla, nutmeg and chocolate to dust over the final product. The cost is about $1 for the 16 oz and a 25¢ more for their “Venti”.

This is my place. I don’t go there to work, or to meet people. For the camaraderie or the atmosphere. I go there for the coffee—cheap, pure, simple and delicious.