On our latest trip to Portland, Maine, we were lucky enough to get a tour of the excellent coffee shop and roastery, Coffee By Design. Opening in 1994, this coffee house has become a Portland-area institution. With multiple locations in Portland itself, Coffee By Design also has a coffee shop inside L.L. Bean’s flagship store in nearby Freeport and does a serious mail-order business as well. Owner, Mary Allen Lindemann generously gave us a behind-the-scenes tour of Coffee By Design’s Roastery on Diamond Street in the East Bayside neighborhood of Portland.
Coffee By Design’s Diamond Street Coffeehouse
For those that haven’t been, the East Bayside neighborhood is the “it” neighborhood of this Maine city. East Bayside has breweries galore, including Belleflower, Austin Street, and Rising Tide, to name a few. As per city code, many of the businesses in this neighborhood have to make a product in order to have a retail presence. What a perfect location then for Coffee By Design’s roastery. In addition to the roastery, it has become their flagship location, with an inviting coffeehouse and even a cupping room, where the roasters taste-test the coffee.
Walking into the roastery is a feast for the senses. With exposed ductwork showcasing the industrial side of the building, the room is also bathed in hues of yellow and purple. These warm colors beckon you to stay while sipping your favorite coffee. (Hint: for me, it’s an iced maple latte.) Like all of their locations, the walls feature pieces from local artists.
Behind the Scenes
Mary Allen welcomed us with open arms (us meaning, my whole family–three kids in tow!) And gave Danny (my oldest son) and me the grand tour of the roastery. She showed us where the roasting happens, the offices, the cupping room, and where the coffee is packaged. Along the way, we learned about the company’s focus on sustainability and what impact they have both locally and on the world at large.
A Little History
Coffee By Design first opened its doors way back in 1994. After living in Seattle, Mary Allen and co-founder Alan Spear decided to come back home to the East Coast to spread the coffee love. The first location was in what is now known as Portland’s Arts District, but the city was quite different then than it is today. The Arts District was known more for adult-themed entertainment than the fine arts. In 1998, the company expanded to a second location in Monument Square which was sold to a customer a few years later, and then to its shop on India Street which is when they started their own roasting.
As the company grew, Mary Allen was able to also grow their efforts in how coffee and community go hand in hand, as the coffee shop was bringing people together. She was learning about the diversity of the local community of Portland. At this time in the mid-90s, some of their first customers were actually refugees from Bosnia who were fleeing the war-torn Slavic country. This dedication to the world community is a pillar of Coffee By Design. Sourcing coffee from around the world, they have a dedication to the growers and the regions the beans are from and to those in the local community who have personal ties to many of these countries.
Currently, their stores number four: the original on Congress Street, the India Street location, the Diamond Street Roastery, and Coffee Shop, and the L.L. Bean location. The Roastery opened in 1998. After a move to Washington Avenue, it is now located at Diamond Street and has been since 2013.
Thinking Globally, Sustainably, and Locally
Coffee By Design is a local company with deep global ties. For instance, they work with farms and cooperatives throughout the world, including Indonesia, Colombia, and Burundi. For events such as their 25th anniversary, they tied in the cultures of the bean’s origins. This event included a group of Burundi drummers, who live now in Maine! The Portland area of Maine has become more diverse with residents from around the world.
Coffee By Design intentionally sources from female growers when possible, an underrepresented population in business on the whole. They have hosted individuals from around the world. This includes Isabelle Sinamenye, founder of the Burundi chapter of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance. The Alliance gives a voice to women in the coffee industry worldwide. With the connections that Coffee By Design makes throughout the world they not only produce excellent coffee with a focus on sustainability but also bring awareness to the origin of the bean.
From Bean to Beverage
Yes, Coffee By Design has an interesting history and a soul-enriching mission, but they make an excellent cup of coffee to boot. They sell an array of beans both of single origin and blends. My recent favorite is the Sumatra Takengon Gayo Natural which received an unbelievable score of 94 from Coffee Review. It is lighter with hints of fruitiness which is unlike most of the bold coffees I often go for but it is oh-so-good!! This coffee is naturally processed but the range of coffees offered represents the variety of processes farmers choose to go from coffee cherry to green bean.
The next time you’re in the Portland area, make sure to check out Coffee By Design. If you can’t wait, order the beans online.
For more Portland area fun, check out: Biddeford and A Weekend in Maine.
