Free Coffee At Perk On Main Friday And Saturday Morning

Mark Hughes doesn't mind the cold air nipping at his nose.

Hughes, whose regular responsibilities include helping his sister Katie run the day-to-day operations at in Durham, has spent the week greeting customers from under a tent outside of the popular coffee shop on Main Street, where he waves to passersby and serves up free cups of coffee.

"I love seeing the customers. I meet so many interesting people," Mark says about his temporary job, which involves spending a couple of hours each morning dressed up as a super sized coffee cup.

"One Halloween a couple of years ago I wanted to be a coffee cup and so someone who used to work here made this costume, so I figured we might as well use it."

Perk, which earns rave reviews for its dizzying array of crepes, is offering free cups of coffee each morning this week until 9 a.m.

"We did it, sort of hoping to play on people's New Year's resolutions that they may want to be more deliberate with their dollars and support local business." says Katie, whose eco-conscious approach to business includes offering organic coffee and a heavy dose of recycling.

These days the Middlefield resident spends much of her time driving back and forth from Durham to Guilford, where she owns and operates Perk on Church.

Back in Durham, a honk at a red light yields one hurried Perk supporter a $5 gift card.

"I get a lotta beeps and honks," says Mark. "The gift cards were Katie's idea."

As for his favorite item on the menu?

"That's a tough question. My favorite desert crepe is the classic combo which is Nutella, strawberries and bananas. My favorite lunch is the zesty chicken, which is chicken, peppers and onions and vidalia onion dressing as a burrito."

Stop by Perk on Main Friday and Saturday (before 9 a.m.) for a free cup of coffee.