Parousia Coffee is expanding its business with a new cafe in Scott’s Addition that’s planned to operate alongside the company’s mobile coffee trailer. (Photo courtesy of Parousia Coffee)
A two-year-old local mobile coffee seller is brewing up a permanent presence in Scott’s Addition.
Parousia Coffee inked a lease last month to open a coffee shop at 2900 W. Clay St., taking over a 850-square-foot storefront on the ground floor of the VIV at Scott’s Collection apartment building on the east side of the neighborhood.
Co-owners Jimmy Garcia, Michael Hartke and Christian Diaz plan to invest up to $150,000 for buildout, furniture and other expenses to open the upcoming cafe, which is envisioned as a place where people can have high-end coffee in an approachable space.
“Specialty coffee sometimes comes with the air of a snooty vibe. I remember going to a third-wave cafe in college and being kind of intimidated,” Garcia said. “There’s a gap for people who want to experience good coffee but are scared by it.”
The company is targeting a fall opening date for the coffee shop, which will have seating for 18 people and offer house-made pastries in addition to coffee. Once the cafe opens, the company plans to continue to operate its coffee trailer, which is regularly at the RVA Big Market at Bryan Park and also does private events.
“It’s been so awesome for us exposure-wise and community-wise, so we’d like to continue that,” Hartke said of the trailer’s presence at the Bryan Park farmer’s market.
The three friends launched the business in January 2021, inspired by their shared love of coffee. They hit on the name Parousia, which can translate from Greek as “presence” or “arrival.”
In June of 2021 they began to sell coffee beans. Their trailer rolled out in early 2022 and they’ve since been juggling the business while maintaining jobs elsewhere. Garcia is a real estate agent at Henrico-based NextHome Advantage, Hartke is an audio engineer and Diaz works for VCU’s campus ministries association.
“All three of us love coffee and we love going to coffee shops. This (upcoming cafe) for us is a labor of love and a way to channel everything we love about coffee, but also all the tiny things that make the experience of a coffee shop,” Hartke said.
The company roasts its own coffee and sells it through a subscription service, and has a small but growing wholesale arm. The company’s beans can be found locally at Perk! Coffee & Lunchbox and Outpost Richmond as well as The Bake Shop in Williamsburg.
“We’re actively expanding (the wholesale business),” Hartke said.
Parousia will open next to gym CoreFitness RVA, which opened last year at The VIV.
Parousia is on track to be at least the third coffee shop to open in Scott’s Addition in under two years’ time. Charlottesville-based Grit Coffee opened an outpost last month at The Otis development at 1601 Roseneath Road. About a year ago, Afterglow Coffee Collective opened its cafe at 1719 Summit Ave.
Parousia Coffee is expanding its business with a new cafe in Scott’s Addition that’s planned to operate alongside the company’s mobile coffee trailer. (Photo courtesy of Parousia Coffee)
A two-year-old local mobile coffee seller is brewing up a permanent presence in Scott’s Addition.
Parousia Coffee inked a lease last month to open a coffee shop at 2900 W. Clay St., taking over a 850-square-foot storefront on the ground floor of the VIV at Scott’s Collection apartment building on the east side of the neighborhood.
Co-owners Jimmy Garcia, Michael Hartke and Christian Diaz plan to invest up to $150,000 for buildout, furniture and other expenses to open the upcoming cafe, which is envisioned as a place where people can have high-end coffee in an approachable space.
“Specialty coffee sometimes comes with the air of a snooty vibe. I remember going to a third-wave cafe in college and being kind of intimidated,” Garcia said. “There’s a gap for people who want to experience good coffee but are scared by it.”
The company is targeting a fall opening date for the coffee shop, which will have seating for 18 people and offer house-made pastries in addition to coffee. Once the cafe opens, the company plans to continue to operate its coffee trailer, which is regularly at the RVA Big Market at Bryan Park and also does private events.
“It’s been so awesome for us exposure-wise and community-wise, so we’d like to continue that,” Hartke said of the trailer’s presence at the Bryan Park farmer’s market.
The three friends launched the business in January 2021, inspired by their shared love of coffee. They hit on the name Parousia, which can translate from Greek as “presence” or “arrival.”
In June of 2021 they began to sell coffee beans. Their trailer rolled out in early 2022 and they’ve since been juggling the business while maintaining jobs elsewhere. Garcia is a real estate agent at Henrico-based NextHome Advantage, Hartke is an audio engineer and Diaz works for VCU’s campus ministries association.
“All three of us love coffee and we love going to coffee shops. This (upcoming cafe) for us is a labor of love and a way to channel everything we love about coffee, but also all the tiny things that make the experience of a coffee shop,” Hartke said.
The company roasts its own coffee and sells it through a subscription service, and has a small but growing wholesale arm. The company’s beans can be found locally at Perk! Coffee & Lunchbox and Outpost Richmond as well as The Bake Shop in Williamsburg.
“We’re actively expanding (the wholesale business),” Hartke said.
Parousia will open next to gym CoreFitness RVA, which opened last year at The VIV.
Parousia is on track to be at least the third coffee shop to open in Scott’s Addition in under two years’ time. Charlottesville-based Grit Coffee opened an outpost last month at The Otis development at 1601 Roseneath Road. About a year ago, Afterglow Coffee Collective opened its cafe at 1719 Summit Ave.