The craft beverage industry has seen a significant upswing in recent years. Coffee has always been a staple in the artisanal and, for lack of a better word, hipster realm, but it has been brought to the forefront of refreshment culture. Coffee shops are a dime a dozen thanks to the aforementioned craft revolution, so it takes a very special shop to stand out amongst the rest. Press Coffee, established in 2008 just before the Great Recession, is one of those outliers thriving in the valley. With several locations, and having their coffee served at dozens of businesses around town, one would be hard-pressed to miss them. Some notable partnerships of Press include the drive-through café The Fix in the East Valley, the beloved breakfast joint Over Easy, and the renowned Citizen Public House. Another notable branch of the Press Coffee tree is their altruistic endeavors by way of charity work that they call Press On Charities. A recent drive was with SARRC (Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center) that, along with other partners, raised almost $20,000 dollars.
As far as their coffee, Press offers a variety of roasts at various price points, all overseen by head roaster JP. With over a dozen options available, there is something to satisfy the self-proclaimed coffee snob or those who just like having some hot bean water to keep the day moving. Press even offers a coffee subscription service that, as their site says, makes sure you “Never run out of coffee again.” This is a very enticing option for folks who may not have the time or ability to make it into the shop, but still want to satiate their need for their indelible caffeinated concoctions. Press Coffee also has a quarterly release of special beans they call Allocation, and the fall allotment was divine. “Our Allocation coffees come out once a quarter and are the best coffee. They’re the best coffee we can find, period.” The Allocation coffees are not available to purchase by the bag in-store, but you can get a cup as a pour-over to try out. To get your hands on a bag of their special release, you can purchase from a very limited number of extra bags on Press’ website, or sign up for their coffee subscription to ensure you’ll have a chance at a taste.
Beyond the straightforward cup of coffee, Press also serves a variety of other drinks and food items like breakfast burritos and avocado toast. Their Roastery location even serves a handful of local beers alongside Wild Tonic beverages. Pastries provided by Noble Bread are a wonderful accompaniment to any of the drinks on the menu. Press Coffee’s support for other local businesses runs concurrently throughout the company’s framework and stands as a pillar of its reputation amongst local customers.
One trope of Press Coffee houses is aesthetics. All the Press locations are laden with warm wood and black metal accents. At The Roastery, a loft gives patrons a bird’s eye view of some of the roasting stations that produce the products they enjoy. Partner Alex Mason credits Construction Zone with their vision at The Roastery and how well they encapsulated the essence and aesthetics of Press. “They did a really good job making this look and feel like what Press is.” The aesthetics lend themselves to another one of Press’s goals. Mason asks, “How can we make everyone have the same experience?” The consistency and commitment to quality is something that sets Press apart in their locations, their coffee, and the experience they provide in-person and at home. There is a common thread that runs through each location, but each store is built to serve the demographic they are close to. While there are idiosyncrasies and things that are quintessentially Press, the goal is to provide the same quality coffee regardless of who walks through the door. The accent wall at The Waterfront location displays an enormous sign of the moniker Press, and serves as a terrific way to make sure you’re in the right spot and to remember where to come back to.
Written by Isaac Stockton
Photography by Luke Irvin