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According to Forbes, nearly 80 percent of the millions of coffee farmers worldwide are so small scale they are forced to live on less than $2 a day.
Seeing the flaws with the antiquated trade process that brings coffee from the farm to your local shop, Courtney Hartl decided to do something about it and has started to lead by example.
A little more than a year ago, Hartl and her husband, Matt, opened a small mom-and-pop coffee shop at 2889 Fairfield Ave. in Bridgeport called Source Coffeehouse. Their mission: To create a community atmosphere that not only serves great coffee, but ethically sourced coffee as well.
“Ethically sourced coffee means different things to different people. For us, it’s all about trust and relationship,” Hartl said. “We work with a roaster out of Lancaster, Pa., that partners with responsible coffee importers, ensuring that our coffee is traceable to the farm and that farmers are paid a fair price for their product.”
The Charlton, Mass., native said she and her husband both worked as baristas throughout college and at a certain point realized “we started to see a future beyond just ‘college job barista.’”
“For me personally, my love of coffee combines with a passion for community development. Owning a coffee shop allows me to pursue both of those passions at the same time making great coffee and connecting with my neighbors in a meaningful way,” Hartl added.
For Hartl, Bridgeport was the right spot to do just that. She and her husband are in “love with this city and believe it’s on the cusp of something great.” Currently, the two live in the Black Rock neighborhood, a section of Bridgeport that Hartl described as one of the most “unique corners” of Fairfield County.
Over the past year, Source Coffeehouse has been sharing a storefront with Toni’s Tuscan Table -- an Italian-style family restaurant -- acting as a pop-up shop of sorts.
“On nights that Toni’s was open we would break down the majority of our setup, everything but the major equipment, and the space would be transformed into a restaurant,” Hartl said.
As of this week, Toni’s has moved to a new location in downtown Bridgeport, and Source Coffeehouse will be undergoing minor renovations to create a more “coffeehouse feel.”
With big things on the horizon for the Coffeehouse -- including the addition of a food menu -- Courtney and Matt Hartl are looking to continue their growth in the Black Rock community.
“We are setting ourselves apart by offering a quality product that you can feel good about purchasing, and pairing that with heartfelt hospitality,” Courtney Hartl said. “What we offer is something you really won’t find in a big chain coffee shop. There is a level of personal connection that I think really sets us apart.”
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