Welcome to THUNDERMUCK NATION! July 11, 2009 marked our 17th year in business, and celebrates the Grand Opening of THREE CUPS COFFEE HOUSE, our new partner handling the retail end of this venture.

This first ‘MUCK FEST! was an all-day happening that in the morning focused on how coffee gets from farm to cup, then in the afternoon shifted focus outside to a free reggae concert put on by local sensation MA BARLEY, sponsored by Columbia River Coffee, the coffee that floats the arts. This year the music was a benefit concert to raise funds for Ami Rothberg, daughter of the lead singer’s wife, Ann Erickson.

This is also a celebration of just staying in business! After buying this building, renovating the old Finnish Meat Market and outfitting the place with new equipment – ranging from new coffee roasters to ball point pens – we opened the doors to go face to face with the current recession. To say the least, it was a long winter.

Rickenbach Construction deserves acknowledgement for its fine work on the building, which earned us a Certificate of Merit by the LOWER COLUMBIA PRESERVATION SOCIETY and the DR. EDWARD HARVEY HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD. For both we are grateful.

When Nancy and I opened this company in 1992, we did so on the back of the 25 lb antique roaster you see displayed on the shelf up in the corner of the retail space. Between this, a small outbuilding we re-built, and $2,500…we were well on our way to ‘who knows where.’ We will always be The First to Roast on the Oregon Coast, back when there were 2 or 3 espresso machines in the county. Now it’s an essential part of many of our daily lives.

Back in the late 1800’s, one of my Norwegian ancestors homesteaded here in the Necanicum Valley (On a recent trip to New York, we think my daughter Autumn discovered Ole’s name on Ellis Island.) We’ve gone from Cedar Stump House to a Third Wave Coffee House! Part of the original homestead remains in our family to this day.

I am happy, and feel very lucky to have ‘homesteaded’ my own business, keeping me close to home. Enjoy this day, and thanks for supporting the coffee that supports the arts!

Tim and Nancy

President and Vice President
Caffeinnation Corporation
DBA Columbia River Coffee Roaster