Westminster's Victoria Coffee has a mission to build a coffee community one cup at a time

The duo behind Victoria Coffee, a specialty coffee company based in Shirley, have officially opened their first permanent location in Westminster.

Owners Colby Chrusciel and Josh Gikis moved their mobile specialty coffee operation into the 134 Main St location in September 2023.

Chrusciel and Gikis said that, with a permanent location, they can focus on expanding their brand and creating a coffee community in Westminster by providing a space to connect over a cup of coffee.

"I think a lot of people say the same thing over and over, that we need a good coffee shop in our community, and finally, there is one," Gikis said. "This building used to be the old town pound, and we kept the nostalgia and made it more inviting and comfortable for people."

Victoria Coffee is open Wednesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Gikis said they are still testing the market, so hours might change in the future depending on what they think is better for their customers.

How did Victoria Coffee get started?

After working for 10 years in the coffee industry, Chrusciel decided it was time to create his own brand with the help of his longtime friend Gikis in March 2023.

The name Victoria Coffee was picked to honor Chrusciel's 95-year-old grandmother, Victoria, a Holocaust survivor. Chrusciel said he wanted the company's aesthetic to reflect his grandmother's elegance and kind nature while producing high-quality green coffee products.

Gikis said all the beans they sell and use to brew coffee are self-roasted at a Shirley commercial roaster. He said he and Chrusciel are the only two who do the roasting, packing, and shipping.

All Victoria Coffee beans are imported from environmentally sustainable micro-farms around the world. Chrusciel said one of their goals for Victoria Coffee is to support small coffee farmers who produce excellent and sustainable coffee.

"We import from select farms, and we select those beans very diligently in terms of tasting notes and what we think our customers would enjoy," Chrusciel said. "We take the most pride in how we source coffee and try to support small green farms."

To purchase Victoria Coffee bags of whole beans, visit the website at www.victoriacoffee.co. Or grab a couple of bags at the downtown Westminster shop.

Pop-up days are in the past

Both Chrusciel and Gikis said they are happy to have a physical address and a community to serve. Before they moved into the 134 Main St. location, the duo operated Victoria Coffee out of a van and traveled all over the Northeast region to spread the word about their new coffee brand.

The two sold their roasted coffee beans and coffee drinks at several regional farmer's markets, breweries, vendor events, and local businesses that let them do weekly pop-up events. They said they have traveled from Boston to Salem to York Beach in Maine for pop-up events.

"It was cool to be able to bring your product to a completely different market," Chrusciel said. "But we certainly don't miss the days when we sat in bad weather under a tent and only saw three people."

Their permanent location at 134 Main St. in Westminster was one of their previous weekly pop-up locations. Before Victoria Coffee moved into the downtown Westminster space, it was occupied by Lady's Mantle Gardens, a fine gardening store. Michelle Cote, owner of Lady's Mantle Gardens, hosted several pop-up events for small local vendors and businesses.

"We already were doing pop-ups here, and we had a following, so it made the most logical sense to stay here and try to create a coffee community here," Chrusciel said.

Building a coffee community

Gikis said over the past five months since they opened, they built many great relationships He said they have made several regulars that come many times every week or weekend.

Chrusciel said that with the new space, he has been able to make their in-house syrup flavors for their drinks. He said this is one way they maintain their product's quality.

Also, they added baked goods to their menu which are selected to pair well with Victoria Coffee. Chrusciel said they sourced their baked goods from KRO's on the Common in Templeton.

"I still continue to put a lot of care and practice into the art side of coffee and presenting it, like how a chef would plate their food," Chrusciel said.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Victoria Coffee creating a community with specialty coffee beans