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David Blanchard (Photo courtesy Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Co.)
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Blanchard’s Coffee on Broad Street (Photo courtesy Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Co.)
804 All Day
“I’ve lived in Richmond my entire life. I went to Freeman High School and University of Richmond. I was born at St. Mary’s Hospital, and both of my kids were, as well.”
Early Beginnings
“We started in January 2005. Three months in, we got an opportunity to sell coffee at Joe’s Market, a Ukrop’s specialty market. They set us on a path of selling wholesale coffee in grocery stores. We started taking online sales seriously about 10 years ago, and we opened our first cafe in October 2019.”
David Blanchard (Illustration by Abigail Giuseppe)
Cup of Choice
“I make coffee on a Moccamaster every morning. At the cafe, I usually order our seasonal drinks, and my daily order is an iced coffee. My favorite mug is a cheap ceramic one from the Grand Canyon.”
RVA Favorites
“We live near the trail system, so I love running or hiking the trails around the river. They are truly a gem of the city. Kuba Kuba is my go-to. I have known Manny [Mendez, the owner] for a long time, and there is nowhere else I would rather be.”
Brews Cruise
“I am currently on a quest to get a coffee in every state this year. Stay tuned for my favorite.”
Serious Swiftie
“If I’m in control of the tunes, people will hear Taylor Swift coming through the speakers. I am a girl dad, and in many ways, Taylor Swift has been the soundtrack for the last decade of my life.”
Perks of Ownership
“It is humbling to employ people, and even more humbling when they start buying homes and having families. I never thought when this started that we would have long-term, full-time staff. I am so proud of each of them.”
Buzzing Interest
“Coffee started off as a hobby. I tried all sorts of home roasting methods in our first apartment. I started researching small commercial roaster manufacturers and found one in Clearwater, Florida, near my wife [Kelly]’s hometown. I couldn’t stop thinking about them. I asked Kelly if we could sell her Toyota 4Runner (a college graduation present) and buy a roaster.”
Pantry Staples
“I love junk food, but I feel like I am slowly giving it up. There is almost always a family-size bag of Doritos in our pantry.”
