Veteran-owned coffee roasting and retail shop moving to Belleville’s East Main Street
I love coffee. It’s the elixir of life. (I’m less like a zombie when I drink it, so yeah, that counts.)
As far as I’m concerned, there is no such thing as too much coffee or too many places to get coffee.
This includes downtown Belleville, where we already have a lot of great go-to coffee shops, like Pour @322, Joe & Onie’s, Sip & Chew Express and Sugar High. We’ll soon have LongStory Coffee.
Now I’m happy to share with my fellow coffee junkies that another roaster will join the ranks of those fine establishments that help keep us well-caffeinated.
Heart2Heart Coffee is coming to Belleville’s East Main Street.
The small batch roasting company is opening a new outlet in the Shoppes at the Olde Towne Mall at 310 E. Main St.
“We’re really excited to have a storefront,” said owner and CEO Kyle Clark, who is looking forward to moving their whole operation downtown.
And they start moving in next week.
The new “little storefront will be great” and provide Heart2Heart the visibility it never had in their location at 4204 Main Street Brewing Company, according to Clark.
What to expect
It’s important to know that Heart2Heart is not a café, so there are no fancy coffee or espresso drinks to be had there. Clark’s leaving that to the nearby coffee shops.
Customers can, however, get a cup of black coffee, which Clark said, as “a good born and raised Texan,” he prefers.
They are not here to compete with the surrounding coffee shops, said Clark.
Instead, he wants to encourage people to patronize those businesses.
Right now it’s early days, so there isn’t much to see. Just an empty room with white walls. A blank canvas, if you will.
Clark showed me the space for the new outlet, including the spot where the Diedrich IR-5 roaster will sit. (Clark referred to this fine machine as “the Maserati of roasters” in a May 2021 interview with yours truly.)
Part of Clark’s vision is to include a “partnership wall,” featuring the organizations Heart2Heart supports. He also hopes to have a section with information about the nearby coffee shops.
While Heart2Heart Coffee is currently available for purchase at Local Lucy’s and other retail locations, the selection is often limited.
Clark said that having their own shop will allow them to provide a wider selection of roasts: dark, medium, decaf, half-caf, signature and seasonal roasts.
And K-cups, which I’m pleased to say are 100% compostable.
Buy your beans whole, or get ’em ground, which will be done at the time of purchase to keep the coffee fresher.
Clark said they would reuse the big, burlap bags the beans come in. He’s making them into reusable shopping bags for the customers. And he’s sewing them himself.
Heart2Heart will host black coffee events, private tastings and other gatherings.
Guests will be able to learn about coffee preparation, why coffee is bitter (when it shouldn’t be) and how to grind coffee beans for different brewing methods.
Because the grind definitely matters. (Coffee aficionados totally get this.)
Grinding flights will entail a single roast that’s ground differently to show the variation in flavor from one cup to the next.
Next month, Heart2Heart Coffee will announce two opening events, one for the public and one for local businesses.
Plans are being made for giveaways and other events to engage and get to know the community.
Clark expects to open Saturday, Oct. 1.
About Heart2Heart Coffee
Established in December 2018, veteran-owned Heart2Heart Coffee’s mission is to give back to the community by donating 100% of its profits to charities that help children with congenital heart defects, veterans and others in need.
The desire to give back was inspired by Clark’s daughter, Sydney, who was diagnosed in utero with a congenital heart defect (CHD).
Clark and his wife, Colleen, joined a CHD support group during Sydney’s ordeal. The support they received helped them realize they wanted to do the same for others.
Today, Sydney is a thriving 7-year-old with a 3-year-old sister, Megan.
For more info and updates about Heart2Heart Coffee, visit heart2heartcoffee.com or facebook.com/Heart2HeartCoffee.
This story was originally published August 22, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
