Roastery Renovation Week 1 - Clearing Out the Clutter & Setting the Vision

Week 1: Clearing Out and Vision Setting

Hello, coffee enthusiasts! We’re excited to kick off our roastery renovation series with the first week of work behind us. It’s been a busy and exciting time as we embark on this project that will not only expand our roastery but also transform our entire coffee experience.

Why Are We Moving?

With the steady growth of SadieCoffee, we’ve simply outgrown our current roastery and coffee shop. We are expanding into an adjoining heritage building right next door. This will give us more space for roasting, a larger area for outdoor seating, and an expanded play area for the kids. Plus, we’ll be able to offer new experiences like coffee tastings and workshops in our freshly renovated space.

The Garden Work Begins

This week, we began by tackling the garden area that will connect the two buildings. First, we had to clear out the rubble and refuse left behind by the previous tenant. It was quite the task, but by the end of the week, the garden already felt more open and inviting. 

To our delight, we uncovered beautifully laid brickwork that had been hidden for years. This discovery gave us even more inspiration: this area is where we envision placing a long table, perfect for large groups to gather beneath the trees, enjoying good coffee and great company in a sunny, relaxing space

Clearing Out the Clutter

Inside the building we also had a lot of clutter to sort through and get rid of. We removed old, metal cabinetry, and boxes of old filing. There was a lot of old and redundant cables strewn along the walls, and we couldn't wait to get the space empty so we could start to envision what the space could become. The heritage building, with its original Oregon pine flooring and wall panels, is a gem, and we want to preserve its charm while making it functional for our needs.

Crafting the Curved Archway

One of our key design projects this week was transforming the opening between the two main areas inside the roastery—previously a desk area and a kitchenette—into a beautifully curved archway. This feature will frame the heart of the roastery, where we plan to build a coffee counter from reclaimed wood. On this counter, we’ll set up a smaller espresso machine so that our head roaster, Shaun, can easily test his roasts and make espresso-based coffees for future tastings. This archway will be a focal point, enhancing the flow and feel of the space.

We pulled up the old, yellow linoleum flooring in the kitchenette, revealing the concrete below which will be the perfect, solid base for our roaster to stand on. We were so glad that we wouldn't need to pull up any of the wooden floors as the roaster is a mighty heavy machine, and the wooden floors just would not have been strong enough. This is probably the only time someone pulled up linoleum and was excited to find concrete instead of hardwood!

Restoring the Heritage Charm

As we cleared out the interior, we gained a better understanding of the layout and what we wanted to preserve. By the end of the week, we made the exciting decision to strip away the layers of paint and varnish covering the floors, ceilings, and trim work. Beneath it all was the original Oregon pine wood, rich with history and character. This decision set the tone for how we want to approach the renovation—honouring the building's heritage while creating a space that feels fresh and inviting.

Our Vision

We spent a lot of time this week discussing our vision for the new roastery. Here are our top priorities:

• Storage: Adequate space for green beans and roasted beans.
• Roasting Area: A dedicated area for our roasting operations.
• Tasting Table: A long table where we can host coffee tastings and workshops.
• Retail Shelving: Display space for our coffee and merchandise.
• Outdoor Seating: Connecting the back gardens to expand our outdoor seating and kids' play area.
• Bathroom: Ensuring each space has its own bathroom facilities.
• Parking: Providing convenient off-road parking for our customers.

And our bonus desires include a patio work bar station for parents to work while watching their kids play and a long outdoor table for big group gatherings.

Looking Forward

With week one behind us, we’re feeling energised and ready for the next stages of the renovation. The space is starting to take shape, and we can’t wait to see what it becomes as we continue refining the layout, prepping the roasting area, and transforming this beautiful old building into the future of SadieCoffee.

Stay tuned for more updates as we move forward with our renovation journey!