Posted on 9th Mar 2009 @ 8:12 PM

It is hard to believe that it’s already 2009, and with it we mark our 10th year in business!

In 1999 we opened our first store in Kill Devil Hills. You would not have believed how many people stopped by and asked “Is that all your gonna sell—coffee?” And yes the first three years were tough. Our first Fall in business saw 2 back to back hurricanes-first was Dennis, then Floyd. While we did not get flooded, it did shut down the Outer Banks for the month.

We purchased our roaster in 2000. It proved to be a pivotal decision. By buying green coffees and roasting ourselves, we quickly entered into an education process that continues today. In fact, roasting almost seems easy compared to leaning about the 1000’s of coffees out there. Single origin, high grown, organic, Fair trade, shade-grown, sustainable, bird friendly, Swiss-water process, CO2 process, “natural” process decaf?, the list goes on.

In 2005 we opened our 2nd store—in Nags Head. A beautiful store, it has been the home to our roasting operation and has served the south end of the community.

This past year saw the opening of our 3rd and largest store, on Roanoke Island in Manteo. With 3300 square ft, the free standing store is nearly 3 times the size of our other cafes. Utilizing “green” construction techniques, we recycled a building built in the 1970’s as an auto parts distributor. The building is energy efficient, with high R-value insulation, high efficiency lighting, and high-seer energy efficient a/c units. To reduce water runoff, we utilized permeable “turfstone” on the parking lot and delivery driveway, and worked with the Coastal Federation to install a “rain garden”. Capturing rooftop rain runoff, it fills a “pond” in front of the store, watering the garden and allowing it so slowly permeate into the ground. In fact it works so well that even during our worst thunderstorms this summer, no water flowed into the adjacent storm drains!

If you are visiting the Outer Banks this summer, please make Manteo a “must see” stop while you are here—I promise you will not be disappointed!

Paul Manning