On 30th April 2010, it was a sad day for regulars at Half and Half coffee shop near the old Chinatown. The business that served coffee at the location for close on ten years finally closed.
The good news was that Joel Domreis’ Courier Coffee Roasters opened and have been serving the area ever since. If you’ve ever wondered about Ethiopian K CUps, check out Jiale’s newest article here: Where Can You Buy Ethiopian Coffee K-Cups?
Owned and Operated By An Ex Bike Courier Who Delivered Coffee
Joel had been known even before that as the guy who delivered coffee around the city on a bike.
Finding a niche for a coffee shop in a city like Portland is not easy. You can go down the route of having a gimmick, by being a fantastic destination, or by roasting top quality coffee.
Known For Their Amazing Coffee and Their Love For Bikes
Courier Coffee has two distinct angles; (1) They make delicious FRESH coffee, and (2) They are remembered as the people who deliver by bike.
Joel and Alex form Courier Coffee roast their coffee every single day to ensure that their coffee is always fresh. Other companies often roast every few days as it is easier that way.
They Roast Their Coffee Every Single Day
Still, Courier Coffee takes freshness so seriously that they go that extra mile. Continuing that theme, all the baristas brew everything to order. It may take just a tad longer, but it is well worth it. You can not get fresher beans anywhere in the city.
Originally, Courier Coffee was just a roasting company with no ambition to open their cafe. Still, with the closure of Half and Half and the little red bike outlets, both of which served his coffee, it was decided that having a guaranteed outlet for his coffee would be a wise idea.
A Cafe With Depths of Character
The cafe certainly is not run of the mill. There is an old vinyl turntable behind the counter that plays classic rock, and the guys love talking coffee with any visitors.
I am trying to think about how to describe the cafe. Well, it certainly is not an elaborate trendy design with glitz and glamor. Yes, that’s it. A polite way of describing the cafe is to say it has depths of character. It’s quirky in a friendly sort of way. It’s like a club for coffee lovers. One customer commented that it has the feel of a DIY store.
They Will Be Serving Wine and Food As Of December 2019
The business does tend to work well with other local companies, and starting in December 2019, Able Farm will be serving wine and food at the cafe after the coffee shop closes. Courier Coffee is currently doing the paperwork for the license.
So to summarize, Courier Coffee has its unique style. No polished surfaces or class tables and glitz. The furnishings are purely functional and have a homemade look.
The staff is pretty laid back but incredibly efficient; they love to talk about coffee, bikes, and the classic rock music that they play on a turntable behind the counter.
The customers are very much like a community, with some recently helping with redecorations. It all might look chaotic, but the coffee is probably the best in Portland, at least one of the best. It is the atmosphere created by the people with a shared love of coffee and bikes that makes this place.
Address
923 SW Oak Street, Portland, OR
