Risk & Business Magazine Waypoint Fall 2020 | Page 12

RIVER CITY COFFEE

A HERO AT THE HEART

Of The Powell River Community : River City Coffee

Nestled in the heart of Powell River , River City Coffee does it all . With beans roasted at their designated local facility and a menu designed to accommodate all dietary needs , this coffee shop and its roasting facility have become staples for the Powell River community .

Powell River ’ s first artisan roaster , River City opened its doors in 1994 . Present owners Kelly and Ivan bought the business in 2000 . At that time , the shop was tiny and had only two tables . Now , the downtown location boasts a 60- seat restaurant with a large patio in the summertime .
RIVER CITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED WITH THE COMMUNITY IN MIND .
In fact , they host an ongoing fundraising program through the wholesale of their house-roasted beans . Thirty percent of sales through the shop ’ s fundraising platform benefit local sports teams , organizations , and not-for-profits . Currently , River City beans are carried by a variety of local vendors including local butcher Chopping Block , Townsite Fruit & Veg , and Save On Foods . And they are always looking to add more wonderful vendors to the list for their premiumroasted 100 % Arabica beans .
FUN FACT : From coffee lids to wrapping paper to bean bags , 99 % of all the takeout packaging River City uses is biodegradable or compostable . This has been immensely helpful for keeping the shop ’ s environmental impact down , especially throughout the pandemic .
At the height of the pandemic , when Waypoint needed assistance delivering baked treats and coffee to all departments of the Powell River General Hospital , Kelly , Conor , Lauren , and the team were there . The amazing staff at River City prepared all of the baking for each department , prevented crosscontamination by wrapping each item individually , and dropped everything off with administration every day for weeks . The hospital staff relayed to the team that it was just the pick-me-up they needed .
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