Equiano Coffee Company

In the 90s, you could find Okon and Gloria hanging out at Theo's Coffee House in downtown Eugene. Okon would sit inside and play chess, enjoying the rich smell of old books and freshly brewed coffee and the buzzing of conversations. The energy and culture of that coffee house ignited a passion in Okon for the way that coffee can connect people. After seeing an article in a magazine about Ethiopian coffee rituals, he realized that coffee was a part of his culture as well. He purchased a 1.5 quart copper pot and began roasting 10 ounce batches of coffee in his apartment. "I think the real reason I started roasting coffee was to impress Gloria," Okon chuckles as he recalls seeing her sitting outside of Theo's and being mesmerized by her beauty. Gloria spent many years working as a barista at various coffee kiosks and at Perugino while pursuing her love for art and painting. In between roasting 10 ounce batches of coffee in his apartment and owning Equiano, Okon took a deep dive into the world of specialty coffee. On a trip to Colombia he learned how much time and effort and care goes into growing specialty coffee. Each different farm, country and region grew beans that expressed different flavor profiles, aromas and textures. His goal as a roaster was to best articulate these flavors. Selling specialty coffee is not just a hobby for him, he is invested in the farmers and purveyors that he purchases from and fascinated by the process of expressing each bean to its utmost deliciousness. "Gloria has taught me so much about being a barista, she's the one who makes this all work. I can nerd out on the specifics of the roast, but Gloria is behind the scenes, she curates the art, the atmosphere, the energy of the space," Okon says. They work as a team to bring not only the most delicious coffee to your lips, but to create a space that is warm, welcoming and inspiring. We may all be consumed by our phones and our daily tasks, but if we can smell and taste something so delicious that it brings us fully into the present moment, allows us to connect to our senses and to each other, than the love behind the coffee can be felt. Written by Gracie Schatz