Ready Set! Coffee Roasters opening cafe outpost in Duck Island. Credit: Ready Set! Coffee Roasters
Two years ago, Chris Allen and his partners relocated the roasting operations for Ready Set! Coffee from a warehouse in Fairview Park to an attractive roastery and café in Detroit Shoreway (7306 Detroit Ave., 216-736-8601). Soon, they will add an “outpost” café in Duck Island. Allen says that coffee lovers can expect the same quality beverages they know and love, but in a more streamlined retail setting.

The owners are on pace to open the cafe in the former Duck-Rabbit space (2135 Columbus Rd.) by Forest City Brewery in a couple weeks. When they do, they will offer a similar lineup of coffee drinks – including nitro and regular cold brew – tea, specialty drinks and a light food menu.

To start, the café will be open Wednesday through Sunday until 2 p.m.

Allen says that the success of the Detroit Shoreway shop has demonstrated the appeal of a retail concern, despite being a wholesale coffee roaster at heart. So much so, in fact, that a third location is not out of the question, he says.

“We want to make sure we grow the right way with the right people,” he explains. “We’re roasting-driven in terms of coffee, but the café is doing so well and it’s such a great way to meet the coffee community.”

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This article appears in Apr 5-19, 2023.

For 25 years, Douglas Trattner has worked as a full-time freelance writer, editor and author. His work as co-author on Michael Symon's cookbooks have earned him four New York Times Best-Selling Author honors, while his longstanding role as Scene dining editor has garnered awards of its own.