New Location for Keweenaw Coffee Works

CALUMET — Coffee drinkers in the Keweenaw Peninsula have a new place to stop and enjoy a cup, while learning a little more about the coffee roasting process.

After 5 years of business a local coffee producer has outgrown their old facility and recently moved into a new location where visitors can see first hand how coffee beans are processed before being brewed into a hot cup of morning go juice.

It was the Summer of 2013 when Nate and Valerie Baciak opened this Calumet coffee shop on 5th street. With a great response from the community, their operation has continued to grow and eventually required the couple to expand.

“Our old location was 600 square feet, so it was a pretty tiny operation, even though we were supporting 36 wholesalers,” said Co-Owner Valerie Baciak.

In the early days of operation, the company roasted around 18 pounds of coffee beans per hour, and last year upgraded to a larger roasting machine that was capable of increasing that capacity my more than five times. The company has once again expanded, this time into a new facility.

“Our new location is about 5,000 square feet and includes our coffee and extraction bar as well as seating for about 50 guests,” said Baciak.

That new location opened recently just a few blocks down the street from their previous location and customers have been showing their support one cup at a time.

“The reception has been really great,” said Baciak. “Our customers seem to really enjoy being able to experience the coffee in the way that we brew it here. Certainly our customers have been enjoying the beans for over five years now, but its nice to be able to make espresso drinks and cold brew and feature the product in the way that we feel highlights each individual bean best.”

With a full time barista on site, flavor is just one of the highlights. Bubba demonstrates his artistic abilities in every latte he makes.

This cup features three hearts that morph with every sip. And he’s also been known to create bears and other creatures in his artwork.

Artwork has its own place in the company, from the decor of the new shop to the packages that the company sells.

“We highlight local artist on many of our labels. We’re also roasting the beans in a way which is perhaps a little bit different from what some of the other folks are doing,” said Baciak.

The company distributes it’s brand to over 3 dozen retailers across the state.

“We are primarily a wholesale and production facility, as well as supporting our own coffee bar,” Baciak added.

The new location is open daily at 113 5th Street in Calumet and continues to celebrate it’s five year anniversary with a new blend.

“We’re featuring our five year celebration coffee so that’s a limited edition. It’s quite an excellent coffee,” said Baciak.