About

Through my own association with my family's old Homestead I have learned to revere family place as much as family itself.  I consider this company to be my own homesteading endeavor, and even though we have a new, permanent home…the journey continues .

In July of 1992 my wife, Nancy, and I opened the humble doors of our beginning in a well-worn outbuilding that we restored for the occasion.  The heart of our business was an antique Royal No. 5 coffee roaster, manufactured in New Jersey some time in the 1920’s, which we affectionately named Grendel, the beast from the ancient Scandinavian tale of Beowolf, for all his temperamental smoke and fire.  Our success led us to a larger roaster of the same make and vintage, a Royal No. 7 (125-lb batch roaster) which quickly wore the moniker Grendel’s Mother, of course.  With these we learned well the art of classically hand-roasted coffee, accompanied by a few cherished employees with the same love of coffee. 

Here, together, we blazed our roasting trail alongside that of Lewis and Clark, which led us to 279 W. Marine Drive, where in 2007, we renovated an historic building in Union Town Astoria.

Two new coffee roasters, still American-made (manufactured by Idaho’s Diedrich Coffee Roasters), now do the roasting duties, along with David Yuill, roaster, who operates under Jon Reimer, our Roast Master.   Though to this day the new roasters remain nameless, we're grateful be to working with better equipment, in a better place to work, with the same choice employees, along with some new ones…all loving the smell and taste of meticulously roasted coffee.

After five years in business we realized our work could mean more than the provision of work and money, and that is when we founded and sponsored the opening of The River Theater and became “The Coffee that floats the Arts”  for this theater initially and predominantly, and now for many other artistic and social service organizations of this region as well.

The retail section in the front of the building is Three Cups Coffee House, run by Carly and TJ Lackner and Leah Cristaldi.  This clean, well-lighted place for coffee (and more) affords a clear view of ship traffic on the Columbia River and, inside, a clear view of the roasting and packing floor, with our offices in the upper mezzanine.  

If you come by, you can enjoy a cup of freshly roasted and brewed coffee or espresso, bite into a fresh scone, grilled panini, salad, quiche, and more from their basement bakery.  Here is a great place for just about everything, with spacious tables, counters and couches:  Coffee, Art, Readers Theater, classes, meetings, car washes, and on and on. Many an art class, photography class and board meeting have been held here.  You can also grab some beans to take with you.  Three Cups  is open seven days.