(From left) Owner of Elementary Coffee Co. Andrea Grove, artist Bryan “King Prolifik” Hickman, Little Amps Production Manager Andrew Hollinger and Little Amps CEO Peter Leonard with the new “Phoenix” coffee blend.
You’ve heard of music collaborations and craft beer collabs, but what about coffee?
For the first time ever, Harrisburg-based roasters Little Amps Coffee Roasters and Elementary Coffee Co. are participating in a coffee collab with the goal of uniting to help the Broad Street Market.
“It feels like a good time to show some unity,” said Peter Leonard, CEO of Little Amps.
The “Phoenix” blend was released this past weekend at both coffee shops’ locations, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the market, which suffered heavy damage to its brick building due to a July fire.
Not only is it the businesses’ first time creating a blend with each other, but it’s their first coffee collab, period.
“Phoenix” coffee
“The beer world does collabs all the time, but not as much in the coffee world,” explained Andrea Grove, owner of Elementary. “Because everyone kind of does the same thing, just with different styles. Roasting is roasting.”
But with both Leonard having grown up visiting the market and Grove getting her business off the ground as a market vendor, they both shared a special connection to the market and wanted to do something to help.
After tasting about a dozen coffees, the shops chose to source the beans from a provider in Uganda that they both already used. Little Amps did the roasting and then both crews came together to smell and taste the final product during a cupping session.
“It’s mostly just getting aligned on what we wanted to offer and how we want it to taste,” Leonard said.
The art on each bag of coffee features a phoenix rising out of a fiery cup of coffee, designed by Harrisburg artist Bryan “King Prolifik” Hickman. The art reflects the business owners’ hopes that the market will rise again and rebuild after the fire, they shared.
“A lot of us raised here have similar memories when it comes to the market,” Hickman said. “I want people to know that, although tragedy occurs, having a strong support from the community is something you can lean on.”
The coffee is available at both shops and will likely soon be offered at Little Amps’ and Elementary’s wholesale partner locations.
The team participated in a cupping to taste the coffee.
Leonard and Grove both hope that the partnership serves as an example of unity in the city, while showing support for the market.
“Coffee, in its nature, brings people together,” Grove said. “So I hope people feel more of that unity and less division.”
Little Amps Coffee Roasters has locations in Harrisburg at 1836 Green St., 133 State St. and a kiosk inside Strawberry Square. Elementary Coffee Co. is located at 256 North St., Harrisburg, and inside Radish & Rye Food Hub, 1308 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg.
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