COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Vigilante Coffee Company, LLC—pioneers of specialty coffee in the Washington, D.C. area, specializing in award-winning single origin coffee and coffee education—will open its second café later this year in College Park. Vigilante Coffee Company's expanded presence in the area is another step forward in the University of Maryland’s Greater College Park initiative, a $2 billion public-private investment to rapidly revitalize the Baltimore Avenue corridor and academic campus.

“The Baltimore Avenue corridor, from the beltway down to Hyattsville, is becoming more vibrant thanks to University leadership, community collaboration and committed business owners like Chris Vigilante," said Ken Ulman, the university's chief strategist for economic development. “This local company embodies the entrepreneurial spirit we work to instill in our students and will be a welcome addition to the many new amenities available to our innovation ecosystem."

Vigilante Coffee Company also plans to help curate and excel student start-ups, while sourcing products from the University. They will lease from the University a now-vacant space located at 8200 Baltimore Avenue, adjacent to campus and the University View and The Varsity apartments.

“We are thrilled to become a part of the University of Maryland community, engage in campus life and create a space where people come together,” said Chris Vigilante, Founder, Vigilante Coffee Company. “By working directly with students and faculty we will be creating opportunities to learn about specialty coffee and the business of specialty coffee, as well as sustainability and direct trade within the industry.”

Vigilante began his career in the coffee industry in the Hawaiian Islands in 2008 where he learned about specialty coffee from farm to cup. Starting in 2012—when Vigilante returned to D.C.—he began roasting coffee to sell at pop-up coffee shops at farmers markets all over D.C., Maryland and Virginia as the Vigilante Coffee Company. That same year, Vigilante Coffee Company made the decision to source their coffees directly and traveled to Colombia. Today, they travel the world purchasing their coffees directly from small farms.

Local leaders see Vigilante Coffee Company as a natural fit for the community as Baltimore Avenue continues to evolve and attract new businesses.

“The City of College Park is thrilled to welcome another local, innovative company to our community, and we are proud of the continued investment by the University and its partners in making College Park a top college town,” said College Park Mayor Patrick L. Wojahn.

“Having a strong City-University partnership is key in helping us attract top amenities to College Park,” said Eric Olson, Executive Director, College Park City-University Partnership. “The collaboration between the City of College Park and the University of Maryland—and investments being made by both—means bringing incredible businesses like Vigilante Coffee Company to the area is just the beginning.”

The company is adamant about an ethical and sustainable approach in specialty coffee and seek to bridge the gap between their customers and producers. Education is the nucleus of their business—an area where they plan to continue to grow. They believe in giving back to the communities they are a part of and supporting the farming communities that make their coffees possible.