(Image: CHS)
Espresso Vivace owner David Schomer knows as well as anyone that Capitol Hill’s upheaval can threaten even the most established neighborhood businesses. In 2008 Vivace had to move into the Brix building when its longtime Broadway home was torn down to make way for Capitol Hill Station.
For years, Vivace has roasted its coffee inside an 11th Ave warehouse in the heart of Pike/Pine. With no retail component to help pay the rent and demand for space at a premium, Schomer told CHS he knew his time on 11th Ave might also be limited.
So when owners of the Garage pool hall and bowling alley told Schomer they had an unused basement space that could accommodate the roasting operation, Schomer jumped on it. Vivace will take over the underground Broadway space in August with plans to start roasting in December.
“We were not sure how long we could hold on to the (current) roasting facility,” Schomer said. “I’m always looking for the best buildings to move into.”
“As you roast darker sugars begin to carbonize and bitterness increases as sweetness decreases. (A note about sweetness…The bitter/sweet preference in roasted coffee is perhaps quite different for different people. People from hot climates with spicy food traditions may want more bittering in the coffee, as evidenced perhaps by the darker roast as you head south in Italy). At some point, the carbonization of all the sugars dominates the coffee and all varietal flavor notes are incinerated or covered by the burnt- rubber taste. This is the limit for dark roasting espresso.” — Roasting for Espresso (Image: Espresso Vivace)
Since Vivace will hold on to its two roasters and small-batch processing method, Schomer said coffee output would only increase slightly in the new 5,000-square-foot space.
Coffee roasting on Capitol Hill is nothing new, but the arrival of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery has put a new focus on perhaps the only manufacturing industry thriving in the neighborhood. Other neighborhood roasters include Vita, Victrola, and Stumptown.
The new space won’t include a retail component or an exposed roasting operation that is as much for show as it is for function, but it will give Vivace an 1,000 more square feet for a training area and employee lounge. The cooler basement will also be better for storing beans, Schomer said. It’s no small investment — the base construction budget for the project starts at $550,000. Of course, Starbucks is believed to have spent more than $30 million to create its Melrose roastery.
For Schomer, it’s worth spending more to stay on Capitol Hill so he an his staff can continue to walk to work.
“Staying out of a car is a huge deal for me and Vivace generates almost zero car trips to operate a 50 person staff,” Schomer said. “Fifteen dollars an hour cannot come fast enough so my staff can continue to live on the Hill.”
UPDATE: According to Schomer, Vivace employees make anywhere between $14-$30 an hour. “We cant go up anymore and remain competitive until my competition has to pay more, ie. charge more/cup,” he said in an email to CHS.
The roasting project is yet another investment in the area around Broadway and Madison. Across the street from the Garage and new roasting facility, a Whole Foods is slated to be part of a new 16-story building expected to open by the end of 2017.
Vivace’s history is steeped in Capitol Hill. Schomer first started pulling Vivace shots in 1988 behind a sidewalk cart on Broadway. Along with Brian Fairbrother, who died in 2011, Schomer opened the Broadway sidewalk cafe and the Broadway coffee shop. On the day CHS spoke with Schomer, a film crew was interviewing him for a documentary on U.S. espresso pioneers.
[…] Vivace creating Broadway roasting… […]
Schomer said. “Fifteen dollars an hour cannot come fast enough so my staff can continue to live on the Hill.”
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This is an odd comment. Isn’t there an instant solution to that? Vastly different business, but Central Co-op lifted everyone’s salary so entry level was $15. I would think Vivace customers would be willing to pay a little extra now so their favorite baristas would get the relief Schomer refers to.
I’d guess there’s some competitive risk involved if a business voluntarily increases their operating costs while other businesses are free not to do the same.
In other words, higher prices will accompany the wage increase, but he won’t do it until the other shops do it too.
Well, he should be given lots of credit for the bottom of the scale being $14. I have no idea of the financials of such a business, so I really was curious about the comment.
[…] Coffee isn’t the only manufacturing industry left in Central Seattle. We also make fantastic beer. The Central District’s Standard Brewing celebrated its second anniversary at 25th and Jackson last Friday. Sorry, but its batch of 2nd Anniversary Ale is long gone. […]
His comment seems to indicate that he is looking forward to the minimum wage raising to fifteen, then he will make the move to up his base, and up pay even more.
Basically, if he’s paying 14 right now, and everyone else is paying 10, when everyone is paying 15 his base wage will likely be a few bucks higher than that.
That seems to be what he’s saying….which is cool.
[…] one longtime Pike/Pine coffee roaster plans an inter-neighborhood move, a business involved in another aspect of coffee manufacturing is making its debut just down the […]
[…] roasters may have to start looking elsewhere for space. Vivace recently signed a lease to move its roasting operation to a space beneath The Garage in anticipation of increased demand for the property where its […]
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[…] see the great tribute to Vivace’s David Schomer in the Seattle Times? Reminder that Vivace is building its new roastery on Broadway beneath The […]