August 10th not only marks one year since the derecho blew through the state, but it also means that Katie and I have been owners of Press Coffee for one year. We made that announcement last August but it was rightly overshadowed by the storm that knocked out power, water, and internet in the surrounding area for weeks. The following day we were fortunate to still have utilities at the shop and became a safe haven for our familiar neighbors and many new faces who stumbled upon us looking for relief from the heat or a place to plug in their phones.

At the time, moving to 1120 North Dodge Street was a twinkle in our eye, a plan in the works but still hush-hush to the public. Taking ownership of the business was the first step of many towards the vision we are now living. The day after the storm was one of the busiest we had seen in Coralville, outside of football weekends, and at the time we thought maybe we were getting a glimpse into our future. We were right, but we were also under-estimating the success of this location.

Location may be everything, but that only gets people through the door. Since we closed our former location in November, Katie and I have been plotting and planning the layout, the look, and the feel of our new home. With 20 years of combined experience behind the bar, we had a good idea of what we liked and what our guests looked for in a coffee shop. With the help and encouragement of many people, we were able to turn a forgotten building into a warm and inviting space that embodies our personal style and looks like the “inside of our hearts”. From the feedback we’ve been getting, it seems to have a little something for everybody. We’ve been compared to places in Door County, Portland, or Colorado.”

The last seven weeks exceeded all our expectations, leaving little time to reflect on everything that’s happened since our super soft open on June 27th. Now, another school year is upon us, bringing on more of the unknown with the return of students, teachers, and football weekends. We appreciate your patience while we find our groove and work through growing pains.

Come to our official Iowa City Area Business Partnership ribbon cutting this Friday, August 20th at 9 AM! We’ll be giving away some freebies and have a drawing to win some goodies.