The World in a Cup - The Buena Vista Roastery

OUR COMMUNITY

by: Allison Abdelnour bvr_22

Take a drive down East Main Street in Buena Vista on your way to South Main and you may notice a small coffee shop tucked off to the north side of the road. Stop by for a visit and you will soon realize that there are not many places out there where you can experience the unique characteristics of a small town community social scene combined with a world wide appreciation for social and environmental stewardship in quite the same way you can here. Purchase a cappuccino or a cup of coffee and notice, as I have on many occasions, that the flavor is outstandingly fresh and far superior to what you may have experienced anywhere else. This coffee shop is at the top of its class, and unlike many others you have probably been to, you find that every ounce of the owner’s deepest values resides in every single detail of the business. And, lucky for us, it’s right here in Buena Vista. beans2

The Buena Vista Roastery, originally Bongo Billy’s Roastery, has been an anchor business in Buena Vista for 14 years. Purchased just over a year ago by Joel and Laurie Benson, it is located right on the bustling East Main Street and is a must visit place for any true coffee connoisseur. It is an on-demand slow roast high quality coffee roaster which means customers get the freshest coffee possible. Their coffee beans come from all over the world, including Central and South America, the Pacific Islands, and Africa. Along with roasting for wholesale accounts, the roastery also sells pounds of coffee online, as well as beans, espresso and coffee drinks to the local community.

The Bensons made a very conscious choice to move to Buena Vista five years ago. “We had spent time here in the late 80s and felt a real connection to this valley. What really drew us bv_roastery0692

here though was the recreation the area had to offer and the small-town feel for raising our daughter,” Laurie says. And since moving here, as Joel mentions in the BV Roastery Blog, “We are heavily involved in community activities, a little in politics and a lot in outdoor adventure.”

Last year, when they decided to switch gears from consulting and look into other business opportunities, they were interested in becoming a part of an industry where they could impact a product from the beginning of its life cycle to the end. Laurie explains, “Through the coffee industry we are able to work with the farmers and the way they use and impact their land all the way through to the final cup of coffee that customers enjoy when they walk into the café. The coffee industry itself is an incredibly forward thinking industry. Thinking outside the bvr32

box is somewhat of an industry standard. It is wonderful to be a part of a group of people truly trying to make a difference in the world through their relationships, purchasing habits and organizations.”

You will find that the Buena Vista Roastery does all it can to follow through on many of the more commonly known “green” practices. Everything from using recycled cups, lids and coffee bags whenever possible, recycled paper in the office as well as in all of their marketing materials, to the use of green cleaning products. They support Fair Trade and Organic coffee growers knowing that they are taking huge strides to better the environment. The BV Roastery has received a costa2

“Green Business” certification from BBI International for the long list of actions they take on a daily basis.

BV Roastery has a significant commitment to both their local and greater communities. They recently created a new program called Coffees For A Cause which feature six organizations that are making a difference in the world. The organizations are Slow Food USA, Holistic Management International, Chaffee County Boys and Girls Club, Denver Street Schools and the Association For Family Farms. The roastery has created certain blends specific to each cause and 10% of the purchase price for these coffees goes back to these organizations.

Another very unique and significant element of the roastery philosophy is that of the use of a Holistic Goal to guide all their decisions. “It not only ensures that we are taking the best steps for the environment, but that we are also taking the best steps for the social and economic benefits of ourselves, our employees and our community,” says Laurie. The careful thought they put into coffee production, agriculture, countries of origin, and their surrounding communities are all embraced here.

You can find out more about their coffees, their beliefs, and their Holistic Goal (and order perfectly roasted, delicious beans), by visiting www.buenavistaroastery.com.

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