Cover photo courtesy of Roast House Coffee
When they’re not running a coffee roasting company, you might find Aaron and Allison Jordan ripping up some gravel on their bikes or pedaling on a family ride with their three-year-old. Their company socials (@theroasthouse) are full of the outdoor adventures—and specialty coffee—that make Spokane unique. The Jordans are self-described outdoors kids through and through, which affects how they lead a coffee company. Roast House may roast and serve “damn good coffee” every day, but coffee is just the launchpad for doing great things in the world.
Roast House, which roasts their coffee in north Spokane, functions with the big picture in mind: our planet and people are more sustainable when they work together. The goodness starts at the coffee farm and lands in cups for the Spokane community. Roast House sources relationship coffees whenever possible, meaning they work directly with the coffee farmer to prioritize fair pay and sustainable practices. And they partner with local conservation and community nonprofits like Trout Unlimited, Climb for the Cure, the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy and The Lands Council to make a positive climate and social impact close to home.
“Aly and I have always envisioned impacting the global supply chain by sourcing ethically, working with producers as partners rather than ‘suppliers’ and instilling that same level of care into our local community,” says Aaron.
That dream started back in 2012, the year when Aaron and Allison started kicking it as Roast House employees alongside founders Jim Haynes and Deb Di Bernardo. Roast House became a staple of the Spokane coffee and outdoors communities, sharing its love of organic coffee, bikes and maybe an f-bomb or two. In 2024, Di Bernardo passed away from cancer, and those communities felt the loss. When she received her terminal diagnosis, Aaron says Deb served as a mentor as he and Allison took a practice run at business ownership.
“It was the hardest season of my life, but also the most beautiful,” says Aaron. “We experienced it together, dreamed for the future and deepened company values and culture. Ultimately so they [Deb and Jim] could know their legacy was in hands as passionate as their own.”
Part of carrying that legacy means the Jordans get on the ground of the coffee industry whenever they can. In September, they traveled to Peru (with their toddler) to visit a cooperative they’ve been sourcing from for 10 years. It’s a sign of how, for the Jordans, roasting coffee is all about relationships. You’ll notice Roast House coffee embedded in restaurants, cafés and ice cream shops around town. Or you’ll find them tapping into the community by fueling runners after Bloomsday, joining in the Lucky 13 Mojo Cyclery gravel rides for the vibes and caffeinating volunteers at tree planting events for The Lands Council. The Jordans also build community by hosting shop-to-shop rides, where they cruise to another shop downtown to eat pastries and drink coffee at “party pace” so all are welcome. (Find ride details on Roast House’s website event page.)
If you have yet to experience Roast House coffee, drop by their roastery and tasting room at 423 E. Cleveland Ave. for a free coffee tasting. You can also stay up to date by signing up for “House Calls,” a text-to-order platform where they share some of the one-of-a-kind lots they found on their recent trip, texting exclusive pre-releases and deals. You’ll soon find that Roast House is a company that likes to have fun, and it’s an attitude that’s infectious.
“Sourcing organic specialty coffee is our dream and passion, and, in many ways, we’re just getting started with our hopes for the future,” says Aaron. This year, Roast House turned 16. Follow the ride ahead at Roasthousecoffee.com.
Roast House Iced Coffee on Aeropress
Pack an AeroPress, fresh Roast House coffee, and a travel mug to make a shaken iced coffee on the lake, river or trail. It’s easy to brew with simple cleanup, giving you something fresh to enjoy outside this summer.
- Set up the AeroPress in the inverted position.
- Measure 12g of coffee and 200g of boiling water (or up to the 4 marker on the AeroPress).
- Let it sit for 2 minutes. While it’s brewing, fill whatever travel mug you’ve got with ice.
- When it’s done brewing, put your cap on the AeroPress, flip it onto your travel mug and press down.
- Put the lid on your travel mug and give that a good shake to create a frothy, textured iced coffee.
