Rising Stars: Meet Paul Waitinas of Louisville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Waitinas.

Hi Paul, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been in and out of the coffee industry since 1994-from a barista to a shop manager, working at two different roasters and opening up shops for other people. I then decided to open my own shop. Since my college years in Michigan, I’ve been drawn to coffee and wanted to have a shop with a mountain town vibe. We source pretty much everything locally, trying to use organic and fair trade products when possible, and source our green coffee with sustainable partnerships between direct trade growers and a respected broker. We opened in 2010, at the height of a recession, and have worked hard to grow and flourish. Beyond the normal coffee shop doings, we also offer our beans for wholesale to other shops and offices. Music is an important part of our mission too. Until the pandemic, the shop hosted the second longest-running bluegrass jam in the region, and we support local music-related functions and organizations.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Well, we started during a recession, which was really tough. Luckily, we’ve had great customers and staff members over the years. Like for lots of businesses, the pandemic has been tough.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I truly enjoy coffee and want to share my product with people who love coffee too. We work hard to make our shop feel welcoming, and I love that many of our customers feel a sense of ownership about the place.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think coffee will continue to thrive, although we will see many obstacles in the growth and production side. Climate change is already affecting coffee crops and causing enough micro-climate changes to let devastating diseases spread. New hybrid beans that are more resistant to disease and weather changes are being developed, but they will taste different, which is another challenge. It’s going to be an interesting time!

Contact Info:

• Address: Paul’s Coffee & Tea 956 West Cherry Unit 101 Louisville, CO 80027
• Email: paul@paulscoffeeandtea.com
• Website: paulscoffeeandtea.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/paulscoffeeandtea.com
• Facebook: Facebook.com/paulscoffee