EDUCATION: Learning never ends in sharing a passion for coffee
Lindsey Burik and husband Brian brought Tradition Coffee Roasters to life in Kailua motivated by a desire to preserve a tradition - how a simple cup of coffee brings people together. These were the stories the couple brought to Hawaii from New York. Brian was a firefighter and Lindsey was an international trader in Wall Street.
Today, the “Creative” and the “Engineer” run a coffee empire that has spread aloha in their community and beyond.
Tradition Coffee Roasters offers tours and classes, such as roasting, brewing and even coffee painting - those instagrammable lattes with leaf designs on the foam? You can do that and more.
Lindsey runs the shop - from bathroom cleaning to accounting and everything in between, she says. Just like the many complexities of coffee, she tries to keep things simple to let the coffee take all the spotlight. Luckily, we have their product here at Shop YWCA.
Plus, working with an excellent team in a small business can make or break the company. Fortunately, Lindsey and Brian made sure to onboard team members based on personality and passion. She said she loved watching their customers interact with the team, and in the discovery of joy associated with coffee.
Part of the company culture promotes care for the environment, with a resolve as a small business to make sustainable choices in materials and resources in the community.
"We do not use plastics wherever possible, and our packaging is fully recyclable."
The company also chooses to work with local farmers through fair trade, work with those who make the same sustainable practices and organic choices.
Tradition Coffee Roasters fills in the gap education in coffee. Their shop is more like an education center versus a “cafe.” While there’s expertise in various aspects, staff are cross-trained to manage multiple aspects of the business, and customers are encouraged to have an exchange of knowledge. This Coffee Ohana bound by their love for coffee, has nurtured the business to brew more success.
Lindsey said it takes a lot to make a cup of coffee - from farming, to roasting, to brewing. And taste varies based on many factors. While some take their coffee for granted because of its accessibility today, those who know and appreciate the craft understand the intention in every sip.
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