City Roots Coffee Bar is a brand new coffee shop hoping to connect people through a love of coffee and togetherness.
The small venue will focus on simplicity, with hand-crafted coffees and infused teas as the shop’s specialties. In addition to coffee and tea, City Roots will also serve pastries and afternoon snacks as well as an evening coffee and cocktail menu. City Roots hopes to open its doors to the Mid City community in August.
Matt Saurage, part owner of CC’s Coffee House and Chairman of Community Coffee Company, was the original mastermind behind the business.
“The concept of City Roots is based on my personal interest to create an experience that gets back to the roots of coffee: where it comes from, the people who grow it, the art of roasting and the workmanship behind a beautiful cup of coffee in all of its forms,” Saurage said.
Saurage approached Dominick Blanda, an employee in charge of overseeing company training and development for CC’s Coffee House, with his idea. Blanda says that it was an opportunity that he could not pass up.
“Early on I realized working as a barista or in a café environment is more about serving people and sharing a great experience,” Blanda said. “With this mindset, I was able to make a career out of something I loved. When Matt shared his vision of City Roots with me, I could not have been happier and more excited to be a part of something.”
Blanda now assists owner Saurage in implementing the overall concept of City Roots. As a team, they brainstorm ideas on how to create and approach coffee with new technology while maintaining the roots of coffee that Blanda and Saurage both adore so much.
City Roots’ location in Mid City inspired many aspects of the business’s environment. Saurage was inspired by the history and beauty associated with the surrounding community.
“Mid City offers so much in the way of art and culture and reflects the heart of Baton Rouge, showcasing the city’s roots as well as her diverse culture,” Blanda said. “Just driving through Mid City is kind of like opening a Baton Rouge history book that brings the reader from past to present on a one-way drive.”
For Saurage, opening City Roots was a reflection of his own roots. Saurage’s great-grandfather lived just a few blocks from what is now City Roots milling and packaging Community Coffee in the 1920s. Saurage and Blanda want City Roots to reflect that deeply rooted love of coffee and community.
“There is so much I want to share but can really only encourage people to visit to see for themselves,” Blanda said. “City Roots is a place for everyone, for those who know some and those who want to know more. Most importantly, City Roots comes from a deep rooted love for people and a passion for coffee.”
