Book changed life, pointed the way

When he was just out of high school, Adam Hintz read a book called “Ishmael” by Omaha-born author Daniel Quinn.

It’s a novel about a gorilla who has profound observations about  evolution  and the future of humanity.

Hintz says the book changed his life and was instrumental in his eventually opening Meadowlark Coffee, 1624 South St.

“It’s true — Meadowlark probably wouldn’t exist if I hadn’t read that book,” Hintz said.

The main idea of “Ishmael,” he said, is that “humanity is sustainable by design, but our civilization is fundamentally unsustainable.”  In other words, humans are biologically designed to live in harmony with one another and the environment, but civilizations create an artificial situation in which humans exploit one another and the planet.

As a teenager, Hintz used to hang out at the Coffee House in downtown Lincoln, and he even worked there for a while.  “It was such a great environment for me,” he said.  “I learned how to socialize with people and understand human behavior.  There was such a variety of people there.”

For a while he toyed with running a guitar repair business, but then he and his friend Nathan Simpson decided to start their own coffeehouse.  Meadowlark opened in 2005 and has become a popular hangout for people from all walks of life.

In a way, Hintz sees the shop as a microcosm of the sustainable society Quinn wrote about in “Ishmael” and his follow-up book “Beyond Civilization.”

When Hintz is mixing up a latte or cappuccino, he knows that the coffee is organic (grown without pesticides), Fair Trade (produced without exploiting farmers) and shade grown (without destroying the rain forest).

Baked goods sold in the store are locally produced — from Red Moon Bakery, co-owned by his wife, Anne.  “The idea is to make sure the money is staying in Lincoln, as much as possible, instead of sending a check to Seattle or Arkansas every week,” he said.

Another key idea from “Ishmael” is egalitarianism — all people are equal and no one is better than anyone else. Hintz lives out that philosophy in the way he relates to fellow workers and customers.

“When I come to work, it’s like being at home,” he said.  “I feel like I’m working with my brothers and sisters, with my friends.”

Meadowlark is “a crossroads of the community,” he said, where fundamentalist Christians and agnostics, socialists and those with right-wing views can sit and converse.  “There’s a free flow of ideas (when) people get together over a cup of coffee.”

Meadowlark also brings people together through blues, jazz and folk concerts, art exhibits, slam poetry nights and free films on social issues, such as “Who Killed the Electric Car” and “Iraq For Sale.”

Many different groups meet there to meditate, read the Bible, discuss philosophy  or politics.

“Adam is a very passionate person and a fun guy to be around,” his business partner Simpson said. “He has a lot of drive about the business and helping the community.” 

Hintz recently helped start the South Street Summer Market, which will feature artisans and craftspeople selling locally produced products.

The principles of “Ishmael” apply not only to Adam and Anne Hintz’s working lives, but also in how they’re raising their two children,  Iris, 5, and Sophia, 1½. 

“We’re very busy people, but we’re living by example,” he said.  “We hope to be an example to our children of  how to live.”

-- Bob Reeves