This week we're catching up with Bryan for another SCG Crew Bio! Bryan is one of the amazing folks on our commercial operations team. He's the person who will help to make sure you get the most out of your commercial coffee purchase!

 

What’s your life story?

I grew up in a tiny agricultural town in eastern Washington no one had ever heard of, but that is now known for its unique varietals of hops. Seattle had been where I wanted to live as long as I can remember. As soon as I got my drivers license I would make the long trip to the "big city" (not so big back then in hindsight) to experience the culture, the people, the music and all the Emerald City had to offer. Exploring coffee shops, 24 hour diners, all age music venues, thrift stores, record shops and the like. After high school I moved to Seattle for school and have been here ever since.  

What’s your background with coffee? Be specific if you can!

I first fell in love with coffee, and coffee shops, at the now defunct Bauhaus Coffee on Melrose and Pine in the Capitol Hill district of Seattle. Its moody atmosphere mirrored that of the city. Tall ceilings, walls lined with shelves full of books, looking as much like a medieval library as a coffee shop. Regulars crowded around tables, The Smiths likely blaring over the stereo, rain dripping from coats as they sipped coffee beverages being prepared on a La Marzocco. My first peak of a machine I would grow to know and love. I worked as a barista at Seattle's Uptown Espresso for three years in between working in the automotive industry and as a bicycle mechanic. Ultimately I would find my place in the coffee industry combining my technical skills and love of coffee as a Coffee Equipment Technician. I spent five years in the field managing technical services for Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Seattle and throughout Washington State before making the transition to my current roll at Seattle Coffee Gear.

What’s your favorite thing about the coffee industry?

My favorite things about the coffee industry are the people, the passion and the machines that allow them to create the unique beverages and experiences coffee drinkers around the globe enjoy every day.

What’s your favorite way to brew/drink coffee?

l like to start the morning with an espresso and a cup of filtered coffee (drip or pour over), followed up by an americano or cold brew in the afternoon depending on the season.

What do you like to do for fun? Outside of coffee?

l am an avid cyclist, enjoying riding for fun as well as sport. I enjoy bicycle camping around the beautiful northwest and racing cyclocross in fall. Getting outside and enjoying nature is always a blessing (added perk, nothing tastes better than a cup of coffee in the great outdoors). I also still enjoy working on machines outside of coffee equipment. I restore and build interesting cars and bicycles. You'll often find me with a wrench in my hand or on/in some sort of machine with wheels.

What’s one thing you want everyone who shops at SCG to know about running/opening a cafe?

You can't do it alone! Opening and running a cafe is a large on taking that requires a wide range of skills and a lot of work. Don't try to do everything yourself. You don't need to reinvent the wheel, rather stand on the shoulders of those that came before you. Knowing when and where to seek help in your business endeavors will save you a lot of hassles, a lot of time and a lot of money. The coffee industry is one you should enjoying being a part of, and there is a wealth of knowledge you can tap into.  

What’s your favorite item we sell on the SCG website?

The La Marzocco Linea. There is so much coffee history wrapped up in this machine that has been produced since 1990! Today you can certainly buy a "better", more expensive or flashier espresso machine. But the Linea, "the Volvo 240 of espresso machines", set the bar for quality in the industry and still performs today. What can I say, I'm a sucker for the classics.