Today is the last calendar day of Summer 2017, which means it’s the final day of our Build-Outs of Summer series for the year on Sprudge. Fresh Builds are rolling through just under the wire, including this spiffy little number from Seattle, Washington’s Pilgrim Coffeehouse.
As told to Sprudge by Justin Shaheen.
For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?
Pilgrim Coffeehouse started as a small coffee trailer just off Aurora in the NORA (North Aurora) neighborhood in Seattle. Our long-term goal is a neighborhood gathering spot in NORA. The coffee trailer (we affectionately call the CoffeeBOX) was a means to our new Coffee Truck—a renovated 1945 Ford truck with a full-service espresso bar on the flatbed. We now operate as a mobile pop-up cafe for community events and farmers markets.
Can you tell us a bit about the new space?
When we started with the mobile CoffeeBOX, we inherited a power-guzzling mobile unit that we quickly learned was not so mobile. We found a location we could use for free (my church’s parking lot) and opened for daily business for about a year while the truck restoration was being completed. Once we got the truck in our hands, we began the build out. The design of the truck looks like an old-school delivery truck. Most people assume we are delivering roasted coffee. The side panels of the truck are lifted by RV jacks that have been modified to open the heavy wood doors.
What’s your approach to coffee?
Modern coffee with classic service. I believe that the customer experience always wins out over the quality of the cup. At Pilgrim, we strive to provide an excellent cup of coffee but with intentional attention to the customer. I do my best to stay up to date with current coffee trends and apply best practices that I believe will have the most impact on my customer base. Being mobile, the expectations are often low so we use that to our advantage. We often get customers coming back to let us know how great their drink was.
Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?
We’re rocking a La Marzocco GS3, Mahlkönig K30 Vario for our main espresso and a Baratza Sette for the decaf. We have the latest pitcher Spin Jet rinser from Rhinogear and a built in nitro cold brew tap! We have custom tamping tools and aprons from Saint Anthony Industries.
I am working to expand our power supply to add batch brew and/or pour-overs in time for the fall months.
Our primary roaster is Fulcrum out of Georgetown. We’ve had a good relationship with them and like their vision to impact the coffee farmers they buy from. We also serve Hart Coffee, who just moved in to the NORA neighborhood in March. Matt is cultivating an excellent monthly rotation of single-origins as well as his signature blends.
What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?
We did our first event earlier this summer the Annual Greenwood Car Show.
Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?
The truck lettering and logos were designed by a local designer, James Thompson. We had the hand-lettering done professionally by J & S Signs out of Portland. All the bar build out and wood work was done by Keith Carpenter.
Thank you!
No. Thank YOU!
The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.
