Uptown Coffee Company to open in Downtown Marshfield
For Hub City Times
MARSHFIELD – A new coffee shop will be opening in Marshfield’s downtown. John and Vicki Tracy announced that they are opening Uptown Coffee Company in the former Railroad Antique and Cranberry Creek space at 121 S. Central Ave., Marshfield.
John will roast coffee beans onsite, and Vicki will manage the shop. “We’ve always been drawn to customer service,” said Vicki. “In college, I waited on tables, and John was a bartender.”
John recognized that he had a passion for coffee when he switched jobs and no longer had easy access to his favorite cup of coffee along his previous route to work. He started thinking about what it takes to make a truly great cup of coffee. “It just opened up a rabbit hole of learning and exploring coffee. There is actually more flavor profiling in coffee than there is in wine,” John said.
John discovered that great coffee begins at the very farm where the beans are grown. “We’re buying specialty coffee beans in small quantities that are hand-picked when they are perfectly ripe. Then we’ll roast them ourselves to bring out their inherent flavors so we can offer our customers an incredibly fresh, flavorful cup of coffee,” he said.
Uptown Coffee will cater to those who already love and appreciate a great cup of coffee and to those who want to learn more about what makes one cup of coffee better than another. “It’s getting your beans from one farmer, one plot even. That’s what gives you that distinct flavor,” said Vicki.
Opening a coffee shop was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. The couple has spent the last year learning everything they could about coffee and learning how to run a coffee business. “We have every kind of coffee maker in our home right now,” said Vicki. “We started learning about the aromas and the flavors, and we just felt like this is something that we can do and we’re excited about it.”
Building owners, Chris and Erin Howard are renovating the former Cranberry Creek space to prepare it for Vicki and John. The space that will house the coffee shop was originally two buildings that were combined into one many years ago. The Howards will re-establish the dividing wall to create space for the coffee shop on the right and a retail shop on the left.
New accessible bathrooms and a grand entry space will be built in the rear of the building. “People really like the grand entry space that we created behind Mojo’s,” said Chris. “We know that many of Uptown’s customers will use the parking lot behind the building, so we wanted to create the same ‘wow’ factor for customers when they first walk in.”
Chris says there is more than enough room in the Marshfield market for another coffee shop. “Mission Nutrition and Mojo’s have brought people downtown who never used to frequent the area,” said Chris. “I think Uptown Coffee will also bring a new crowd downtown. These people will notice the Daily Grind and their customer base will increase as well.”
Construction on the facilities begins April 15 and will take a minimum of one month. For updates on the progress and to learn more about Uptown Coffee Company, find them on Facebook, Instagram, or stop by their location at 121 S. Central Ave.