Fair Trade Cafe is renowned in Phoenix as the premiere coffee shop in Downtown: a place to meet friends or make new ones, hear the eclectic but usually superior music choices of the friendly and colorful staff, and find an office-away-from-the-office. Fair Trade is definitely the favorite (non-Starbucks) choice of the young professional class when they need a \"mobile command center.\" \n\nAny given day, a forest of open laptops can be found in the open and spacious interior, along with any number of business meetings in progress, lefty groups holding discussions and people just kicking back and having some really good coffee.\n\nThe drawbacks are a result of the success of Fair Trade - during the lunch rush, tables are at a premium, even those out front or in the courtyard it shares with the Portland Apartments. \n\nHowever, the benefits more than make up for this occasional inconvenience. Among the staff, which in a constant state of flux but retains many excellent people on a regular basis, Meghan is at the top of the heap. She has never failed to impress me or my friends with her effervescent attitude and dedication to customer service. A smile and ever-handy kind word from her always help to make up for a down day. And when she and Christina, another Fair Trader with skill and know-how to spare, are teamed up, it is a dynamic duo to satisfy even the most demanding customer.\n\nAll in all, Fair Trade deserves its place as being synonymous with the Downtown Phoenix young professional scene, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who wants a laugh, great brew and relaxing ambiance served up together.