Press Coffee’s first chapter began in the summer of 2013 and concluded in the tumultuous year that was 2020. We could have become one of the many local businesses that closed due to the effects of the pandemic on the economy, but instead, we were able to carry on into a new chapter. Katie and I may have managed the day to day business before, but now that we are owner/operators of Press Coffee, we wanted to rework certain aspects to make it truly our own.

Today we reveal our new logo, designed by Sara Montgomery! She currently works as a senior designer for the shops in Amana, but we met her as A Few Screws Lucy from our days skating together on Old Capitol City Roller Derby. We worked closely with her to create something simple and timeless to represent us moving forward. Sara has a bunch of great ideas for future merch so make room in your closet now!

I imagine Midwesterners are a hearty bunch because we experience change on a regular basis. The sloppy, rainy spring will always usher us into the hot, oppressive sun of summer. The warm shades of fall lull us back into a routine before slapping us in the face with the harsh reality of winter. Variety is the spice of life and with each elemental change, we press on and maybe put on a scarf.

Hindsight truly is 2020, and for us last year was the perfect storm of events to bring Press Coffee to where it is today. It was an anxious and exhausting march towards an uncertain future, but the “Iowa Nice” community came together and kept us going. After lockdowns began, I was pretty certain that I had about a week left with a paying job. Instead, due to the perfect timing of the Jump Coffee ordering app and a steady stream of generous customers, we remained open during that first, scary wave of COVID-19. Seeing the same names regularly pop up on the mobile order screen helped us befriend and bond with each of them. It soon became clear that coffee, or at least its sense of comfort, is indeed an essential item. 

Having grown accustomed to the usual inconsistencies of weather in Iowa, Mother Nature got bored and decided to throw a derecho at us. We were grateful and lucky to be able to open the shop the next day in order to serve the surrounding neighborhoods who went without electricity and internet (and for the more rural folk that also meant water) for the next few weeks until things got turned back on. The weather overshadowed our ownership announcement that month, but once we announced our plans to move, we were met with excitement, a little sadness from our closest neighbors, and lots of encouragement. It’s not just Katie and me who are embarking on this journey, but also our friends and family whose love and support carries us along. We are excited to make Press Coffee even better for you and can’t wait for the day when we get to fuel you up again.

With this new logo will come new merch! (Stay tuned!) Be sure to follow us on your preferred social media but if you already do, you’ll see that our Instagram and Twitter handles have changed to @PressCoffee_ic already. Get all the latest straight to your inbox and sign up for our Pressing Newsletter!