Minglement, an organic food, herb, and spice store established in 1972 on Vashon was growing, and Eva wanted to move her business into a larger space. A country block away, the original Historic Seattle’s Best Coffee roasting facility, stood empty. The site was well over 100 years old, with its well-worn wooden floors, charming front porch, dramatic high ceilings, and Jim’s original roasting equipment. The beautiful building, at almost the exact coordinates of the center of the Island, was an enticing opportunity.
While moving in, Eva had many conversations with Jim Stewart, the retired founder of Seattle’s Best Coffee. She learned about his Roasterie’s history, and came to understand his extensive knowledge and profound love of all that is coffee. His commitment to bringing high-quality, traditionally grown, and fully fermented coffees to market sparked Eva’s interest, as did his dedication to offering his expertise and support to farmers and people.
Jim shared with Eva some of the rarest and most flavor-filled coffees in the world, and encouraged her to try her hand at coffee-roasting using his well-seasoned vintage roaster, which was still residing in the basement of the building. Eva learned coffee from the “grounds up,” and she now brings her knowledge and love of organic food, spices, and herbs, both medicinal and culinary, to her coffee company as a part of a new generation of specialty coffee-roasting entrepreneurs.
