Sisters Coffee Co. opens in Pearl District

Sisters Coffee Company is extending its frontier this spring with the addition of a new enterprise in Portland's Pearl District. The latest endeavor will be called Sisters Coffee Company - The Pearl, and occupies an 1,800-square-foot corner building at N.W. 13th and Marshall, directly across from Bridgeport Brewery Company.

Owners Winfield and Joy Durham report that final construction by R & H Construction is in full swing and should be finished the end of March, in time for a grand opening due the middle of April. Interior design is being done by Jenny Guggenheim with Fig Studio out of Portland. Director of Sales and Marketing, Justin Durham, grew up with Jeff Guggenheim, Jenny's husband, making them a special part of the team to help articulate the Sisters vision for its new cafe.

"It's a prime spot and the building itself was built with recycled bricks from the historic Blitz-Weinhard Brewery. We're really excited about the timing and opportunity to grow our territory," said Winfield. "This is our first major march outside the mothership coffee company here in Sisters."

"We want to replicate that sense of community we formed here in Sisters, the same type of association with the Sisters Coffee brand and our family," said Joy. "Winfield and I are not leaving the area and we want to make sure everyone knows that. Sisters is our home. We'll be down there a lot to help launch the business at first, meeting people and making sure it gets off to a good start. Justin and Leigh-Anne will be primarily helping here in Sisters and act as more of a support role. It's a team effort. The Pearl District is its own bustling little sub-community and the people are incredibly friendly and helpful."

Sisters Coffee Company - The Pearl will have an "urban-rustic" feel utilizing native woods and artwork from Pearl District artists.

"People love Sisters and we wanted to bring a little bit of home to Portland," Joy said. "We have a large customer base in the Portland area that buys our coffee online or finds it in markets or cafés, and we hope to build on that existing foothold."

The coffee house interior will feature a nine-by-six-foot Dan Rickards painting of the Three Sisters above the fireplace. They're planning a gluten-free section for customers, their own fresh pastries, pies and bakery items from neighborhood bakeries, and an expanded lunch menu with homemade soups and sandwiches.

Over the last five years Sisters Coffee Company expanded its wholesale division to over 40 outlets, including grocery stores and gourmet markets in Portland, Salem and Eugene, as well as over 100 additional retail accounts in restaurants and cafés across seven states.

Clayton Rogers will be The Pearl site's new general manager. He's been with the Durhams for over three years, learning the coffee trade in all its various aspects.

"I'm very stoked to bring what we have in Sisters to Portland," he said, "creating something unique and establishing that small-town, community-oriented business feel in the heart of the Pearl District."