COFFEEHOUSE
Our independent, family-owned and operated coffeehouse is located in an historic building—originally, a personal residence—that housed our city's Community Hospital from 1919-1951. When the structure was operating as a nursing home in the 1970s, a fire damaged the second floor which required most of its removal.
Over the years many businesses have occupied the building, but customers old enough to remember its diverse uses are quick to share fond memories of the hospital. We began to repurpose the building as a coffeehouse and roastery in 2011, yet our vision for it continues to this day: to become a destination as central to the community as the Geneva Community Hospital was years ago.
This Probat roaster has served us well for 24 years and is still going strong. Considered the leading manufacturer of coffee roasters worldwide, Probat can lay claim to the fact that roughly seven out of ten cups of coffee consumed are roasted on a Probat. Like any other item of fine workmanship, our roaster delivers exceptional results. We roast frequently to keep up with customer demand, counting on the roaster's dependibility to tease out the delicate flavor notes and aromatics from each coffee we carry.
Our head roaster received intense training in Seattle before we launched Scribblers over two decades ago. His hands-on learning that focused on coffee roasting, blending, cupping and brewing established the foundation for all that we do here. Our learning curve never ends, however, since much has changed in the coffee industry since we launched our coffee company in 1993. Chief among them is the "Third Wave" in coffee.
The term "Wave" was coined to describe three general movements that have spurred coffee growth in this country. In the first "Wave" during the 1800's, entrepreneurs saw a market for providing coffee that was affordable and "ready for the pot." Canned, pre-ground coffee led the way to offer convenience while sacrificing taste and quality.
The second "Wave" was essentially a reaction to the inferior coffee promoted in the first "Wave." Starbucks is most often associated with this period. The coffee improved, but marketing coffee as an experience, rather than just a beverage, was the driving force. Consumers wanted to know about coffee origins and the roast styles of what would become known as "specialty coffee" beans.
With the third "Wave," coffee has taken center stage. Consumers can now trace a coffee's lineage to the very farm and farmer that produced it. Soil, altitude, and processing methods have become important factors to more discerning coffee drinkers. And it doesn't end there as consumers abandon automatic coffee makers in favor of brewers and brewing methods that align to the fundamentals of a perfect cup.
The majority of roasters and coffeehouses associated with "Third Wave" are small businesses, independently owned and operated. Coffeehouses that roast beans in-house represent entrepreneurs who love great coffee and created a business to share specialty coffee with their communities - just as we have.
