Coppa

Yesterday, I announced to the media a big life change for me. My recent departure from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America has created an opportunity to start something new.

My wife, Jessica, and I recently started a small business and are planning to open a coffee, tea, and ice cream shop highlighting local ingredients.  It will be housed in the newly renovated space across from the Federal Building at 917 Glacier Avenue.

the front of the coffee shop in the last days of construction

This really is a dream come true for me.  I've always had the day dream of owning my own food business.  And on dark days in the office, I've fantasized many times about being a barista. But I've often thought the drudgery of work would spoil my passion for making people happy through food and drink.  My recent experience selling homemade rhubarb sherbet though my food truck (rather food bike), changed my mind about that.  I discovered that making something with my hands, making people happy, and making money - all at the same time - was tremendously rewarding.

So, when the chance came to rent a space in the newly renovated building right down the street from my house, the thought of taking my ice cream business to the next level grabbed my imagination.  We took our time as a family to decide to take this next leap, and I am extremely grateful to Jessica for standing by me in this new adventure.

I'd also like to thank Nancy DeCherney, the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council, Rev. Phil Campbell, and the Northern Light United Church for the opportunity to launch my sherbet and ice cream business this summer.  Without their support, I wouldn't have had the courage to take this step.

We're calling the shop “Coppa” (pronounced Cōp-ah), which means “cup” in Italian, playing off the store’s initial offerings of ice cream, coffee, and tea. It also refers to the trophy given in sporting events (e.g., the World Cup), a nod to the store’s quest for excellence.

This is a "coppa dell'amicizia," (friendship cup), used in northern Italy by a group of friends
 to drink coffee and grappa together, a nice symbol for our shop

I love using an Italian word in the store's name; I first developed my love of espresso and cooking when I lived and worked in Italy during college.  I'll never forget the gelato shop down the street from the orphanage where I worked in Naples.  The flavors were so vivid, it tasted like you were eating an actual lemon in your cone.  The kids would make that cone last all the way back to the orphanage, even though it was more than a mile walk.  And I still remember the first time I had an espresso macchiato, at the bar on campus in Bologna.  It was a perfect marriage of espresso and ephemeral milk foam.  When Giorgio taught me how to make a lasagne bolognese from scratch, I knew I was hooked on Italian food forever.

At Coppa, we're going to embrace the Italian spirit of good food, good coffee, and easy hospitality.  We want to make it a place where everyone and all ages feel welcome.  We'll feature my handmade ice creams, including rhubarb sherbet and sorbet, as well as unique varieties made from local ingredients, like my new Alaskan Brewing Company Smoked Porter brownie ice cream and my limited-release nagoonberry sherbet.  We're going to use coffee roasted by Seattle’s Caffe Luca Coffee Roasters, a classic Italian-style espresso roaster founded in Italy more than 20 years ago, and hand-crafted, small batch artisanal teas from Portland’s Steven Smith Teamaker.  I'm excited to source all of my baked goods from Nancy Hemenway and other local bakers.

Paul Voelckers and his partners have done a beautiful job renovating the old Sturm’s Cold Storage building, which now houses Seong’s Sushi Bar. I am thrilled by the opportunity to open a business in a neighborhood I love doing what I love to do – making people happy through food and drinks.

Finally, I'd like to thank all of my friends and family that have helped us get to this point - helping us plan the store layout, helping us buy equipment, helping us move in, helping us vet the store name, and giving us moral support.  Without our incredible network of people in Juneau and beyond, this store would only be a wink of an idea.

Doug and Chuck helping move chairs and equipment

I hope to serve many of you a "cuppa" at Coppa very soon.  We hope to be open by mid-September.