Joe Bean Coffee Roasters closing coffee bar on University Avenue; will focus on roasting

Tracy Schuhmacher | Democrat and Chronicle

Show Caption Hide Caption Rochester's first Parklet Joe Bean Coffee Roasters installs city's first parklet along University Avenue. (Aug. 3, 2017)

Joe Bean Coffee Roasters, the first artisan coffee bar in Rochester, is closing at 1344 University Ave. Its last full day of operation will be Aug. 25.

Spurring the change were three converging developments: an increase in its roastery business, its lease ending at University Avenue and the departure of some key employees at the coffee bar.

Joe Bean launched its canned Nitro Cold Brew coffee at the beginning of this year, and it is already in statewide distribution, said Kathy Turiano, co-owner. “It definitely has been putting a strain on our space in the roaster area.”

Without adequate space to expand the roastery, Joe Bean decided to move to a new location, Turiano said. She declined to disclose the location, saying plans have not been finalized.

Rather than a full-service approach, it will have a small espresso bar along with a retail area, and will also host events. The plan is to move production in the fall and have the roastery open in time for holiday events.

"We loved the day-to-day world, but it’s a commitment," said Turiano. “We know change is hard. We’ll still be in people’s day-to-day lives.”

Joe Bean has moved and transformed itself once before. Turiano and Dena Jones started the business in Webster in 2005, but with competition from national chains coming to the area, the plan was to shut down.

Those plans changed when Turiano and her son, Ben, attended an inspiring conference on specialty coffee and instead the partners moved the operation to University Avenue in 2011. There, it launched an approach to coffee that was new to the city.

The new coffee bar, with Ben Turiano as the third co-owner, focused on specific growing regions, roasting fresh beans and skilled brewing techniques. It offered coffee classes to help bring the area up to speed on topics like coffee roasting, brewing and growing.

“We were having a dialogue that not anyone else was having at that time,” Kathy Turiano said. “We’re proud of all of that.”

Joe Bean has received national attention. The food blog The Daily Meal included it on its list of the 50 best coffee shops in the country in 2014. Joe Bean's employees have competed in national barista competitions and held their own.

Over the years the University Avenue location expanded its offerings to include wine, beer and casual food.

Joe Bean's owners teamed up with other business owners to establish Rochester’s first parklet in front of its University Avenue home last year. Parklets are compact public spaces, usually formed from on-street parking spaces and a bit of sidewalk, for people to relax and gather.

Joe Bean is planning closing celebrations, including some favorite musical performers, from Aug. 23 to 25. From Aug. 26 through the end of September, it will be open as an espresso bar from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

TRACYS@Gannett.com

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