National Coffee Day: Local Coffee Shops, Deals To Check Out In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — For residents who regularly get their caffeine fix, coffee day could be somewhat of a daily occurrence. But National Coffee Day on Sept. 29 is a specific date in the U.S. to celebrate one of the world’s most consumed beverages.

It gives Alexandria residents a reason to support their favorite local coffee shop or score deals at chain locations. Following National Coffee Day in the U.S. is International Coffee Day on Oct. 1.

The exact origin of how Sept. 29 became National Coffee Day is unclear, according to NationalToday.com. History points to the 1773 Boston Tea Party as a key moment in U.S. history for when the country, quite literally, dumped tea for coffee.

The United States’ connection with coffee only became stronger in the years to follow. Brothers John and Charles Arbuckle started selling coffee to cowboys in the American West during the mid-1800s, and James Folger brought coffee to gold miners in California before creating the J.A. Folger & Co. in 1872, according to NationalToday.com.

Other brands that still exist today such as Maxwell House and Hills Brothers eventually joined the coffee market. And Starbucks “changed everything” when it formed in Seattle in 1971, according to the NationalToday.com summary. In the present day, coffee is an industry worth $45.4 billion, according to Allegra World Coffee Portal’s 2019 Project Café USA report.

Some of the locally-owned coffee shops in Alexandria worth checking out are:

• Misha's Coffee: 917 King Street and 6 Prince Street
• Mae's Market & Cafe: 277 S. Washington Street
• Turkish Coffee Lady: 1001 King Street
• Uptowner Cafe: 1609 King Street
• Sprig's Cafe: 2050 Ballenger Avenue
• ESP Tea & Coffee: 1012 King Street
• Abyssinia Mart: 720 Jefferson Street
• Café du Soleil: 215 S. Union Street
• Swing's Coffee Roasters: 501 E. Monroe Avenue
• Junction Bakery & Bistro: 1508 Mt Vernon Avenue #1718
• Del Ray Boccato: 2400 Mount Vernon Avenue
• Magnolia Cafe at Sisters Thai: 503 Montgomery Street
• St. Elmo's Coffee Pub: 529 Montgomery Street, 2300 Mount Vernon Avenue, and 1536 Kenwood Avenue
• Buzz Bakeshop: 901 Slaters Lane

Here are some deals to score for National Coffee Day:

• Duck Donuts: For National Coffee Day, get a free medium coffee or cold brew with a donut purchase in person or online using code COFFEEDAY. 3610-F King Street
• Dunkin': Dunkin’ loyalty members can receive a free medium hot or iced coffee with any purchase. 400 Dulany Street, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, 3050 Duke Street, 4653 Duke Street, 504D S Van Dorn Street, and 3325 Richmond Highway.
• Krispy Kreme: Get a free brewed coffee on Sept. 29. Rewards members can also get a free doughnut of their choice. 6332 Richmond Highway
• McDonald's: Enjoy a fresh cup of coffee anytime for $0.99 at Mcdonald’s when using the MyMcdonalds Rewards app. 1000 N. Henry Street, 3510 Duke Street, 3646 King Street, 505 S. Van Dorn Street, 5311 Duke Street, 1468 N. Beauregard Street, and 121 W. Glebe Road
• Panera Bread: Sign up for Panera’s unlimited coffee subscription for $10.99 per month to receive unlimited hot or iced coffee anytime. New subscribers receive the first month free. 350 Dulany Street and 3201 Duke Street