roots coffee

"Blessed is the one who's hope is in the Lord...he will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out it's roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for it's leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

When we first moved to Louisville, I knew I wanted to be barista. I realize now that I knew nothing about coffee or what the title "barista" entailed, so I’m not sure why I was so intent on this being my part-time occupation. But within two weeks of moving I was hired by a local coffee shop called Vint, which happened to be within walking distance from our apartment. This seemingly simple occurrence dramatically changed my life in ways I never could have foreseen. It was not the part-time job that I was expecting…working in coffee became my passion and career. My fellow baristas were not just my co-workers…they became my family and greatest support. The regulars that came into my shop everyday were not just customers…they were friends and neighbors that I cared deeply about and who cared deeply for me. Working in the coffee industry completely surpassed my arbitrary aspiration to be a barista and reinforced my understanding that God gives us good things…even when we don’t know to ask for them.

I've always liked coffee as a commodity and drink but truly understanding the story behind the product allows me to enter into a new level of appreciation. The intricate attention given to growing and harvesting, processing and grading, roasting and brewing, come to a perfect climax when the once fruit, then seed, then bean, and finally liquid is consumed and enjoyed. It is a story that bridges cultures and unites individuals, inviting the ordinary barista to participate in the community this narrative provides. 

Coffee creates community in three ways. First, it establishes relationships with people around the world. If developed correctly, coffee roasters connect with coffee farmers as a direct source of trade. They get to know one another, they break bread together, and they share each other’s burdens. This sense of international camaraderie inspires me. Many coffee farmers put their life into their trade. In the specialty world, coffee plants in the Arabica family only produce about 1-3 pounds of beans a year, are harvested by hand, and sorted by real people to filter out any unsatisfactory yield. It is so important that the relationship with these farmers be mutually beneficial and conducted with integrity. When the farmer suffers, we suffer. When the farmer does well, we benefit with them. I’ve seen this harmoniously play out with many coffee roasters, specifically with our friends at Sunergos Coffee and Henie Brothers Coffee (via Coffee Co-op) in Louisville, Kentucky.

The second way coffee creates community is through the subsequent culture it generates. I remember sitting with a fellow manager and fast friend, Jamie, as she taught me how to make a macchiato. Not the macchiato you get at Starbucks that’s laced with sugar and capped with whip cream, but the traditional drink—a rich and flavorful espresso with a small amount of carefully textured milk. Her love for hand-crafted coffee was contagious. It was an art. Jamie and many others nurtured in me a desire to learn more and to grow as an artisan in my skill. The next thing I knew, I was participating in latte art competitions, attending coffee conventions, and reading magazines devoted to coffee culture. It sounds nerdy, and I’m ok with that. I’ve met some of the most amazing people in this world of nerd and I could not be more thankful for being a part the fellowship it creates.

Finally, and the most vital part for the barista, is the relationship with the customer and the pleasure of serving a delicious, hand-crafted, latte-art sealed drink to them. What is the point of intricate dedication to excellence in the planting, harvesting, processing, roasting and brewing processes without someone to appreciate the final product? The best part about being a barista is satisfying the customer with a consistent drink, and using that point of reference to establish a friendship. It’s amazing what happens when, as a barista, you know a regular’s name and their drink. You become a dependable part of their day. People could make their coffee at home or go to McDonalds, but they come to the coffee shop because (well, it’s better, but also…) of the community it brings about.

One of the hardest decisions we ever made was to leave Louisville and the friendships we established there, especially those surrounding Vint. I knew then that I could never say farewell to being a barista. It had become a form of art, an outlet to create, and a platform to serve those around me.  I knew South Atlanta lacked a specialty coffee scene, and the thought of being a forerunner of something non-existent excited me.

And here we are. In the middle of an adoption, house hunting, and starting new jobs, Kellen and I started a business: Roots Coffee Bar. Since we came back home and are intentionally seeking to put roots down here, the name is a perfect reminder of our original purpose.

Roots Coffee exists to cultivate community by creating and serving hand crafted drinks. From seed to cup, coffee tells a story and we desire to deliver this experience to our customers with integrity, precision, and grace. Roots Coffee offers a fully functioning on-site mobile coffee bar for weddings, business meetings, parties, farmers markets and other events in the Atlanta area. With a full specialty and traditional coffee drink menu, guests can have the opportunity to enjoy a delicious beverage made by a trained barista at the event attended. We customize the menu, coffee origin, and even the cup logo to our customer’s preferences. Roots uses coffee beans from our friends at Sunergos Micro-roastery in Louisville, Kentucky.

If you are interested in booking Roots Coffee Bar for an event, please email drinkrootscoffee@gmail.com and we can talk details. All of our proceeds are currently going towards our adoption fundraiser! Read more about our adoption here. 

A big thanks to Kenny Smith and Blake Nail at Sunergos (visit them here) for helping us set up, for Dylan Higgins creating my logo, and for Anna Pryor using her creativity to make it real. I am so indebted to Cody Chaplian, Jamie Bowers, Chloe Regan, Kelsey Hurd, Cameron Mulvey, and Toni and Chris Lavenson who instilled in me a passion for the coffee business, and challenged me to learn and give more. As always, thanks to our families for their support and investment in our dream. And we cannot say enough about Alex and Emilee Abraham who took these amazing photos for our company, and in support of our adoption (visit them here). We cannot believe the amazing people God has put in our path and how much help we have needed from them along the way. I hope we can even in a tiny way do the same.  

Roots is also opened during school hours at The Campus in Peachtree City, where I work my other job, and at Crosspoint Community Church on Sundays.