Meet Your Neighborhood Coffee Roaster: Willie Needham

I’m a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with 17 years of restaurant, banquet, and catering experience. Coffee runs in my veins—my uncle’s been roasting for nearly 50 years.

 

My interest in coffee sparked in college when I worked breakfast at 1:30 a.m. and served 3,500 people by 5:30. That early cup of coffee became the highlight of my day—and over the years, the one I cherish most with my wife.

 

In late 2021 my wife surprised me with a roasting kit for Christmas—a popcorn popper, a thermometer, and a sample pack of beans. My first roast? I ran it on our grill and definitely singed it—but the memory still makes me smile.

 

By 2022 I started the podcast Theology in a Thermos to talk theology and culture over coffee. Soon I realized it was time to turn the idea into something local. In 2023 I signed the lease and the roaster was born. Since opening the shop, thousands of neighbors have come through the door.

 

Here at the shop you’re always welcome. Sit alone, chat with friends—or ask me about coffee. Ask me about God too. I’d be delighted to pour a cup, pull up a chair, and have a real conversation.