MPLS Coffee is available in both iOS and Android app stores. The initial release includes a map that displays locations closest to you based on your current GPS location. Each shop is indicated with a small coffee cup. When you click on a coffee cup, a modal window appears showing the address, website link, operating hours, and an option to get directions.
The current release features a cluster map of coffee shops, but this feature feels incomplete to me. The cluster map doesn’t function well. For example, if you’re zoomed out far enough to display multiple icons without them overlapping, you still see a cluster. It’s not really necessary here, and annoying for the user.
There is another page called the List View. This screen displays a list of coffee shops in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area based on the user’s location. This view has the same information as the map mode - just laid out a bit differently.
The app has two filter toggles. The first is Open Now. This displays coffee shops that are open now. The other is the Good Coffee filter that keys off my own understanding of coffee shops that are known for really caring about the coffee they serve. So, this includes specialty roasters, shops serving specialty roasters even if they are not brewing their own beans. Also, places that serve good beans & have the ability to do pour overs or well-made espresso drinks.
I thought about making the app Good Coffee only, but changed my mind. This app is a valuable tool if you just want a cup of coffee right now, no matter how good the coffee is. That’s where you can turn off the feature and get whatever place close by is serving coffee and is open right now.
This is where the app stands today. I created a landing page at mpls.coffee.com. This is a launching point to download the app and some background about the app.
Going forward, these are the top items on my to-do list:
New Version Features
- Remove cluster map - unlikely to figure this out.
- Zoom out until no coffee is in view. Zoom in until a coffee shop is in view.
- Update the display in the map. Want a better way to display the coffee icons. Maybe remove the name.
- Add a summary of the last N customer reviews to get a nice overview of what people are currently saying about the shop.
- Expand to other cities. This is a valuable app, need to find a way to specify good coffee for places I’ve never been.
- At least expand to all of Minnesota.