Before opening Fuel, you were a barista for 17 years. What’s kept
you around coffee for so long?
I just love it. It’s such a trite answer, but it’s true. I started
as a barista at a very young age, and ever since then I’ve had a coffee
job. I’ve actually been a barista for closer to 18 years. Jesus
Christ.
You’re also responsible for the book Tall Skinny
Bitter: Notes from the Center of Coffee Culture, about all
the different coffeehouses in the Northwest. Did it ever feel like a
conflict of interest to write flattering profiles of your
rivals?
No. Although I work seven days a week, in my spare time I’m usually
checking out new coffee shops. We’re not so much rivals since we’re all
passionate about coffee. I think we can learn a lot from each
other.
What’s the most impressive thing you’ve accomplished under the
influence of caffeine?
Getting up at 4:30 every morning to run four businesses, including a
pie company. I might be a night person, but these days I don’t really
have the time to find out.
What do you think of the McDonald’s advertising campaign that
makes people who care about their coffee look pretentious and
boring?
My diplomatic answer is that it’s very in line with their
advertising strategy. They’ve built an incredibly successful empire by
appealing to the everyman. But people who are looking for something
else should come to Fuel.
Which of your pies would you most enjoy throwing in someone’s
face?
The Cherry Almond Crunch, because the cherries are round, small, and
juicy enough to get a good splat and there are slivered almonds in
there, too, which could really cut someone up. 