What is your position in the coffee industry?

coffee shop owner

Where are you located? ( City and Country )

Cleveland, Ohio USA

How many years have you been in the industry?

17

If you are a barista or shop, are you interested in a barista exchange with another coffee shop/barista?

yes

Tell us more about your coffee shop or barista skills.

I competed in the Great Lakes Regional Barista Competition in 2009, and have judged at regional and national barista competitions. I also volunteered at the World Barista Championship in Berne in 2006. I have a great "nose" for coffee and sometimes can identify the type of roaster that has been used to roast the coffee, when blind cupping coffees from other roasters. I have done a lot of triangulation trials and I am working on preparing for the Q Graders exam.

What cities or countries are you interested in traveling to?

I would love to visit the Pacific Northwest as it has been a long time since I have traveled out there. I also welcome opportunities to travel to origin countries.

About Me:

I started out as a barista at Phoenix Coffee in 1993 and slept my way to the top by marrying the founder, Carl Jones. I have functioned as a coffee delivery driver in our wholesale "division" as well as a salesperson, store manager and more. Now I call myself the "superbarista" and CEO. I invented the term "superbarista" as a red-cape-wearing character who would ham it up for restaurant servers at our wholsale accounts in order to get them interested in serving and preparing excellent coffee.

About My Company:

Phoenix Coffee is a small chain of five shops in the Cleveland area and an artisan coffee roaster with wholesale accounts around the country. Phoenix turns 20 in 2010! Our shops maintain the "indie" vibe (and are quite different from one another) while benefiting from the shared brand name.

What is your favorite thing about the coffee industry?

the fact that it can take you anywhere

Website:

http://www.phoenixcoffee.com