Coffee shop hopes to spark community interaction

IRON RIVER — Iron River may have been stuck in the shadows for some time, but a new business is working to change all that.

Through the blisters, blood, sweat and tears the owners of Contrast Coffee gladly opened their doors two weeks ago in downtown Iron River, hoping to help boost the local economy and add a little pep to customers steps.

Owner Adam Holroyd said, “A great way to do that is to start a coffee house. It creates a great meeting space for people to come in, for the community to get together and social interaction.”

Not only does Adam look forward to helping Iron County, he’s looking to have a social economic impact in villages around the world.

“Specialty grade coffee only makes up five percent of the world’s coffee production. And those coffee farmers who are able to produce that make a significant amount of money,” Holroyd added. “And so, we really have an opportunity, when we sell coffee like that, to make an impact in those villages and in those places and to really make a difference in people’s lives.”

Contrast Coffee decided to raise the bar on the level of quality and service, typically seen in the north woods.

“So when people walk through the door, they’re impacted by what’s happening here,” Holroyd said. “They see that great things can happen, they see that quality can be the driving force in great service.”