Chrissy Durcak, founder of Dispatch Coffee, holds onto her philosophy of offering accessible quality products as she prepares to open the new store. Though her philosophy remains, the aesthetic of the new location will differ from their current ones: The new Plateau spot will feature a more diversified menu, and a more relaxed environment, complete with a sit-down area for in-house orders.
Durcak hopes to establish a new store experience at the St. Laurent location that future Dispatch locations can be modeled after. For example, Dispatch will be piloting an in-store coffee education area, similar to that of an Apple ‘genius’ bar. From simple questions about home-brewing basics, to inquiries about equipment and technique, the Dispatch staff is ready to help customers become coffee experts with their line of coffees and brewing equipment. For Durcak, sharing her knowledge of coffee is a key part of running her cafe.
“I’ve always tried to infuse service with a lot of knowledge sharing, openness, warmth,” Durcak said. “I try to meet all my customer’s curiosities with direct answers. We will have a designated spot in the store for free knowledge-sharing and chatting. We want to share industry knowledge with every home coffee brewer.”
Dispatch started as a hands-on business when Durcak first made cold-brew coffee in her home to sell at pop-up locations around the city. In her mobile coffee truck, Durcak delivered products to the city’s under-served business areas.
“[The company] started with me in a truck, driving better coffee around town,” Durcak recalled. “[I aimed to tell] the stories of the coffee growers that were behind the product.”
Despite its rapid expansion, Dispatch still maintains the do-it-yourself approach that they emphasized when first opening, remaining involved in all stages of coffee production. Their local roastery in the Mile-Ex production space roasts beans that the company sources from independent coffee growers around the world. Serving quality coffee with a side of social responsibility, Dispatch attempts to improve the broken coffee supply chain by establishing direct relationships with small-scale coffee growers.
“I discovered, working as a barista, that the coffee supply chain is completely shattered,” Durcak said. “There are over 500 million coffee farmers […] around the world [.…] Over 100 million of these farmers are living in survival mode. And there is a direct correlation between drinking high quality coffee and more expensive coffee, and farmers making a living wage.”
As the company continues to expand, they continue to promote social responsibility and compassionate consumption among their customers.
“I envision a world where everyone drinks better coffee,” Durcak said. “Everyone who drinks Tim Hortons coffee, who drinks Folgers or instant coffee—I want them to be drinking Dispatch coffee.”
