VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A morning pick-me-up courtesy of Hawaii, Kenya...even Yemen.
Fathom Coffee is bringing the world to Virginia Beach through coffee beans.
The shop on Baltic Ave. in the ViBe District imports beans from around the world and roasts them on-site.
From there, customers can take coffee to-go or bring the roasted beans home in a mason jar.
It's an enterprise that started in 2015. U.S. Navy veteran Jeff Werby's dad, Bob, began roasting coffee beans on his stovetop.
"(We) ended up realizing roasting coffee was a fun hobby," Werby, who owns Fathom with his father and third business partner, Lisa DeNoia, told News 3.
The Fathom Coffee storefront opened in November of 2019 and since then has become a favorite for locals and out-of-towners.
"Airbnbs, hotels all around here, they see us and they want to check out coffee and so they just walk in. I'd say maybe one-third of people who come in here are on vacation. Honestly it's been that way for the past year," said Werby.
Customers taking a coffee to-go can get it drip style or a 'pourover.' They can also order lattes and other espresso drinks.
Roasted beans in mason jars are divided by the country from which they came, allowing coffee enthusiasts to try flavors from different parts of the world.
One jar of beans, a blend of Kenyan and Ethiopian coffee called 'Kenopian,' features the logo of Lynnhaven River Now, an organization focused on keeping Virginia Beach waterways clean.
"We donate ten percent of the coffee sales back to them. Coffee is 99 percent water and clean, good water is really important for us and so we partnered with them," said Werby.
Fathom Coffee, bringing the world to Virginia Beach and, in turn, helping make the world better for everyone.
Fathom Coffee opens at 8 a.m.
