Today we’d like to introduce you to Collin Yost.
Collin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Roseland Coffee Bar was founded over the phone with my father and business partner Craig Yost. We had always joked of the idea of own our own business. I was living in Portland, Oregon at the time. I had traveled over the country working as a marine biologist, but in my off time, I had worked in various coffee houses since I had gotten out of college. I had always felt like I had a larger calling to do more for people, to be my own boss, and a creative mindset to build something larger than just a business. Craig and I spent every day talking on the phone building the idea of Roseland Coffee Bar. We wanted not only to build a business but a business that, at its core, it entangled with its community. Our core is to be active within our area. Meaning we do many community service days or events in the area to help in areas we see fit. We’ve hosted to Humane Society twice now. We’ve done a back-to-school supply drive for the local children who might not have the things they need. A Thanksgiving food drive for the local shelters. We’ve done countless other projects or fun events to host for the community. It’s been amazing to see the outpour and support from our area. We don’t want to be just a coffee shop but rather a community servant that just happens to serve coffee as well. We reach for this goal with our customer service as well. It’s not just about making a transaction but about getting to know the person at the window. Talking to them, seeing what they are getting into for the day, learning their name, and so forth.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Owning a business is truly as difficult as everyone says. I don’t think you ever truly believe it until you experience it first-hand. We opened at the peak of covid. Not exactly the greatest time to open a business. We luckily made it through with great success and not too many struggles, other than maybe working 24/7 in the beginning when you’re a new business owner. Most of the struggles came in the aftermath. Supply chain shortages for cups and supplies because a regular occurrence. It was a constant battle to find supplies and get them on time. Other than that, we have been lucky enough to not have any other struggles. We have the most amazing staff, and when it comes time to do a round of hiring, we never have a shortage of resumes. If you build the right culture and brand, people want to be a part of it. We’ve made it through the last two years strong, and luckily it has blessed us with the opportunity to open our second location in Belpre, Ohio this fall!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We pride ourselves on our creativeness and ability to have fun. We don’t just want to serve you coffee. We want you to have fun while you’re here and set the mood for your day. We do a sticker of the month on the first of every month. It’s a uniquely designed sticker that our own baristas design, and we give away for free until they are gone! We also work hard to brand ourselves and run our socials. You aren’t a customer. You are part of the Roseland family! We also make a lot of surprises for customers. This creates more menu options for people and gives and excitement about the possibilities of what drinks you could get. Our girls also love to draw on the cups and leave you with cool aesthetics!
Who else deserves credit in your story?
The entire Mid-Ohio Valley deserves credit. Roseland Coffee Bar is nothing without the community it serves. Every person who comes through our shop is a critical aspect of our business. We love hearing about their lives, adventures, and daily events. Our staff of baristas are top tier. We always say that they are the best baristas in southern Ohio. They care about their craft but can have fun and talk to people as they work. They are truly skilled employees and humans. They all are striving for great successes outside of work. The lost critical person to our Roseland success is probably Trina and Rosaline. Trina works a full-time job, all while helping with our accounting, ordering, paperwork, and makes our famous Scotcharoos. Rosaline has been a rock for helping set up our point of sale and spreadsheets to make sure we are where we need to be. Craig and I would be running wild without everyone mentioned! It truly takes a community to be successful.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/roselandcoffeebar?igshid=NmZiMzY2Mjc=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063568625680
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/Gm4s4jUjBrb
Image Credits
Shilo Carpenter
