We were first introduced to Lionheart Coffee Company after we moved back to Portland from Tallahassee, Florida where Junior’s began in 2016. We were re-familiarizing ourselves with the Portland coffee scene, and were hearing amazing things about a multi-roaster café in Beaverton called Lionheart Coffee Company. They not only exclusively served Oregon-based roasters, but were very active in their local community through service projects and volunteer initiatives. We were fortunate to connect with husband and wife owners, Ben and Lauren Reese, the following year, and were invited to be a guest roaster. Since then we’ve enjoyed getting to know them more, and have admired the ingenuity, dedication, and grit they bring to their work as leaders and members of their community. It was with excitement that we set out to work together late last year to create their signature Lionheart Blend. This blend is designed to be accessible for all coffee palates (with or without condiments), with tasting notes of dark chocolate and hazelnut. The blend will rotate with harvest cycles, but will always contain at least one Cost of Production Covered (CoPC) coffee.
Lionheart Coffee Company has two locations in Beaverton. The company’s first location opened in May 2015, and sits next to the Fanno Creek trail off of Scholl’s Ferry Blvd. in South Beaverton. Their second location opened in December of 2019 in the heart of downtown Beaverton on Watson Ave. Ben shared that being in Beaverton is very special to him and Lauren. Lauren was raised there and met Ben when she was a student at Beaverton High School. Ben grew up in Seattle, Washington and would visit Lauren for school dances and other special occasions. Their long-distance relationship continued in college and as young professionals in separate fields before they decided to return to Beaverton together. What was once just the backdrop of their teenage years became the location of their new business and a place to put down roots. The magic that they create through the environment at Lionheart is all in service to the community they now call home along with their daughter, Olivia.
Shared vision and values extends beyond their immediate family to their staff and the vendors they work with at Lionheart. Although the quality of products they serve is very important to them, relationships are paramount. They are focused on aligning themselves with like-minded companies that represent the diversity of the hospitality and specialty coffee industries. Ben, Lauren, and their team do their best to represent these companies in a positive, welcoming, and inclusive way. To do so means that they are embodying being ‘Lionhearts’ (a person who is brave and determined) and supporting everyone in all walks and ways of life. It is through this commitment to others that they have solidified their role in the industry and community. You won’t find them seeking credit for all that they have accomplished in their six year tenure. Instead, you’ll see them continuously learning, growing, and lifting others up along the way.