There's a bit of celebrating to be had around these parts. 44 North Coffee has made it one year in the business of coffee. Yes, indeed. 1-year of roasting the good stuff. Sometimes late into the night, in the bitter cold of our tiny space where the digital roaster thermometer kicks out a mid-February reading of 30 degrees. Sometimes in the early hours of the morning, as the first light streams into the shop and hits the bags of fresh coffee on the shelf.
We've met so many kind and gracious people during this time -- mentors, coffee fanatics, farmers market devotees, and even those who don't drink a drop of coffee but support the cause of two women starting a new endeavor and a variety of entrepreneurship on this small island. Please know, we thank you ALL.
Since our anniversary is close to the year's end, we thought it might be nice to take some space and look back on memorable happenings this past year [2011]:
- The day the 300 pound Diedrich roaster was carried up
the stairs into our rented space in the Seamark building. Adventures leading up to that point included the moment we found the roaster on eBay. Within 72 hours we had committed to driving towards suburbia New Jersey to have a roasting demo & watch the dis-assembly before we handed over the big check. Learned tip: when buying a piece of equipment that is foreign to you in every sense...bring a video camera. Record it all and label those parts, fixtures, and pieces so you know how to reassemble once you arrive back home.
- 4th of July festivity! A extraordinary march by our shop and pop-up curbside coffee booth to provide the caffeine buzz to the parading patrons. We met a lot of new friends and donated profits to the Island Food Pantry.
- Road trip! All the way to the northern lands of Canada to meet amazingly inspiring fellow coffee geeks for a coffee roasters retreat. We learned so much and returned more driven than ever to represent the whole world of coffee in a cup of 44.
- How can we forget the sublime madness of our first year of farmers markets? Thank you to all the loyal (and patient) friends who visited the slow-drip coffee bar in Stonington and Blue Hill. We had way to much fun (and coffee occasionally). Hope to see you all next summer at the same place, same time.
- Unloading and lugging every single bag of green beans off the truck and then up 18 stairs onto the second floor of Seamark. It seemed, without a doubt that every time Jamie pulled in with a freight delivery of coffee there appeared instant hands to help. It is shocking sometimes living on a small island how much everyone assists, gives, and shares. Without our beloved community (both on Deer Isle and reaching far, far beyond) I don't know were we would be. To everyone who helped lug, load, unload, gave input, listened to endless brainstorms, brought us lunch, wrote notes of encouragement, gave coffee, posted pictures of 44, drank coffee, and honked loudly on their drive - thank you, thank you, thank you - and cheers to a New Year full of great cups of coffee.
Found you through 2bnmaine.com and love it all. Congratulations and we’ll see you this Summer. p.s. ..love the sticker thingy.
Hooray! Congrats.
I discovered your coffee through Maine Maven (yay!) and I gave it as gifts this holiday season. I’m in Maine 2 weekends/month so I try to support as many small Maine businesses as I can. Keep up the good work and tasty brews!!
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