It seems like the espresso bar -- a place to attend poetry readings, get a cup of quality Joe for a buck and, heaven forbid, light up -- has pretty much disappeared. At least in the suburbs, where every grocery store now has its own sanitized, cookie-cutter Starbucks. Which is why BUZZTHRU ESPRESSO BAR (807 Loveland Madeira Road) is such a refreshing surprise. Opened in the heart of Loveland last July by Bruce Wolff and Mary Jane Letaw, both Loveland residents, the independent coffee-shop/drive-thru feels at once unique, small-town and worldly.

The walls are papered with old New Yorkers and decorated with African masks, Alfa Romeo racing paraphernalia, flags and coffee sacks from around the world. There's artwork for sale by local artists, and -- talk about small-town feel -- a rack where regular patrons hang their personal mugs. buZZthru has a unique hexagonal counter that fosters friendly interaction and creates a sense of community. A big comfy couch and fresh-cut flowers by the window complete the picture.

It's not all ambiance, however. There's also high-quality coffee, and a lot of it. Provided by Cincinnati's Coffee Break and Colorado-based Unseen Bean, the coffee is fresh, brewed only in small amounts and replaced often. The bar makes an effort to provide Organic Fair Trade coffee as often as possible, from medium to dark to extra-caffeinated. A cup ranges from $1 to $1.75, while most espresso-based drinks are under $3 and good enough to keep up with any chain latte. (The menu's most expensive items -- at $5 each -- are the Double Chocolate Buzz Frappe and the 20-oz. Green Tea Smoothie with soy protein.) The Bonnie Lynn pastries are twice as good as your average scone and half the price (under $1).

Offering a healthy stash of board games, free wireless Internet access and caffeinated deals including $2 for "all the coffee you care to drink in one day," it's easy to see why regulars lounge here for hours. But there's more to do than play Scrabble and surf the 'Net. At least twice a week the buZZthru transforms into a live venue for everything from Bluegrass to Screamo, while many weekends it becomes home to poetry readings hosted by Dos Madres Press.

And for the busy, the shy and the cigarette-averse, there's always the drive thru, open, like the rest of the bar, 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. on weekends. ©