Our Story

It started in a garage. In 2019, Maya Chen and James Okafor pooled their savings, bought a small roaster, and started experimenting with single-origin beans from farms they'd visited themselves. The garage smelled incredible. The first batches were terrible. But they kept going.

By 2020, friends were lining up. By 2021, a small storefront on Magnolia Street became home. Ember & Bloom was never meant to be a chain or a brand. It was meant to be a place where the coffee was honest, the people were kind, and every cup told a story about where it came from.

We source every bean through direct trade relationships with farmers in Colombia, Ethiopia, and Guatemala. We roast in small batches, right here in the shop. We believe in paying fair prices, reducing waste, and making the kind of coffee you want to slow down for.

Maya still handles the roasting. James runs the bar and trains every barista personally. Together, they've built something small, intentional, and deeply personal. Come by and say hello.