Tell us a bit about yourself and your business.
We are a husband and wife owned and operated coffee roaster, and pop up coffee bar. We roast certified fair trade and organic micro lots of coffee beans in our shared space within District Provisions on Wayne Avenue. We believe that coffee is a great conduit for community stewardship. We partner with non profit organizations that directly impact the Dayton communities. Currently we work with the Autism Society of Dayton and Clothes That Work, and we are finalizing our partnership with the “Cha-Cha” Women’s Board of the Children’s Hospital of Dayton Foundation.
What made you decide to open your own small business and how long have you been in operation?
Our coffee business was birthed during the COVID-19 pandemic. A personal need for great coffee at home arose when my daily work commute was removed in favor of remote work, and furthermore remote learning for our children. We launched Hawthorne Hill Coffee Co. this past June and we are on such a great trajectory. Many of us are in the same boat, finding less time to go out to our favorite coffee shops during the week to grab that incredible cup of specialty coffee. I still visit the many great coffee shops in Dayton, however; the need to supplement those visits with great coffee at home was the inspiration for our launch.
We want to create a community of coffee brands and shops working together collaboratively. Some might think, “Oh, great, another coffee shop on Wayne,” but this venture is different. We hope to continue to build relationships with the other roasters and shops in Dayton. In my professional experience, I have found that with cooperative competition everyone wins – the vendor and the consumer.
What do you enjoy about working in downtown Dayton?
Dayton is such a resilient city. Dayton has been through so much in recent years, from tragedies to triumphs. It’s a great coffee town, and is the birthplace of so many incredible brands and technologies. At the heart of the Gem City is an innovative spirit, and that sentiment is infectious; you can feel it in the air. We love downtown, and we love the collaborative nature of the small business community. Our shared space inside District Provisions showcases just how well communal operations can work. With a handful of vendors working under the same roof, we support each other by sharing equipment and ideas, and providing products that take our clients’ experience to the next level.
Tell us something about your business that may surprise people to learn.
My wife Carrie and I come from varying professional backgrounds. Having a nurse and a software accounts manager at the helm might seem unconventional for a coffee roaster. Coffee is about connecting people, and providing an experience – a “me moment” if you will. Our backgrounds with serving people, while in ways outside of coffee, has given us a great perspective on connecting.
How is your business coping with the pandemic and how can people support you now?
We saw the pandemic as an opportunity to launch our business. A need for great coffee at home has hit countless families as many of us are now working from home and also teaching our children from home. That 20 minutes to drive to our coffee shop during the week has become a challenge due to COVID, and we have turned that challenge into opportunity for our brand. On the flip side, we have had to take additional precautions in processing coffees, and how we operate our pop-up hours. We are consumers too, and we keep that in mind as we operate to ensure that we take every possible step to keep everyone safe, including ourselves.
Hawthorne Hill Coffee Co.
521 Wayne Ave.
www.hawthornehillcoffee.com
facebook.com/HawthorneHillCoffee
Instagram: @HawthorneHillCoffee
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