by Liz Daube
Staff Writer
Some of the world’s freshest coffee is now available Downtown.
The recently-opened Jungle Runners Espress serves their own personally roasted, free trade coffee and espresso, organic juice, bagels and muffins – and they deliver, free of charge. It may be by foot, bike or skateboard, but Jungle Runners will bring it right to your office.
The business is a new retail venture for the St. Augustine-based Jungle Runners, Nicolas Kimball and J.J. Anderson. Two years ago, the pair purchased an antique coffee grinder (from eBay, naturally) and traveled the world looking for small, exclusive coffee growers. Now the business has grown, and they’re selling their coffee to stores around the country.
Their roasting technique takes time (the beans are roasted with care in Anderson’s garage), but the Jungle Runners say it’s worth it.
“What Maxwell House does in an hour, we do in a week. (But) it’s just really high quality,” said Anderson. “Our Kenyan coffee we get from a Kenyan guy.”
Kimball said their business is unique because they cut out as many middle men as possible. They know exactly where their beans come from because they’ve actually been to those locales.
“That’s how we got our education,” said Kimball. “Going to these countries and learning from these cultures.”
Coffee roasting can be like wine making in that it produces similarly nuanced flavors, according to Philip Ramsey, a former chef, baristo and partner in the Jungle Runners retail shop. Diane Lee, owner of Uncommon Grounds, is also part of the Downtown coffee endeavor. She serves the Jungle Runners coffee at her San Marco store, as well.
Ramsey said they chose a Downtown location because of the number of business people and Downtown’s urban community has the potential to attract a more diverse crowd, as well.
“It (Downtown) wasn’t the most guaranteed location, but it has the brightest future,” said Ramsey. He added that their customers range from City Hall employees looking for lattes to Gold’s Gym health enthusiasts thirsting for juice.
The organic juice flavors come made-to-order, but Ramsey said the most popular combination is carrot-beet-ginger.
“There’s nowhere else Downtown that you can get these,” said Ramsey. “The reason most people don’t like vegetables is because they’re cooked. It takes out all the sugars and juiciness.”
He said the servers at Boomtown were grossed out by the idea of drinking juiced beets at first. But after trying a few samples, Ramsey said, they all got addicted.
Anderson said their attention to detail and focus on healthy, fresh products isn’t just a marketing tool — it’s a lifestyle.
“All the coffee-producing countries have good waves,” said Anderson, explaining that the Jungle Runners enjoy their travels and their surfing. “And we try to run it as responsibly as possible.”
Customers seeking an environmentally- and socially-conscious shop can rest assured that most of the vegetable pulp, coffee grounds and other waste at Jungle Runners will be composted in Ramsey’s garden. He’s also putting together a community garden in Springfield, and Anderson wants to start a biodiesel co-op.
If business goes well, the pair said they’d like to find a new, bigger location Downtown in a few months. Right now, they sublet a small space from Boomtown on Monroe Street. Anderson said they eventually hope to open an organic produce market, as well.
Kimball, who takes a marketing and consulting role in the business, said parking problems pose the only threat to Jungle Runner’s Downtown plans.
“Everyone’s screaming how they want change, but they aren’t doing anything. You need available spaces to park in front of every shop,” said Kimball. “If I’m paying $55 a day for rent and $55 a day in parking tickets, that’s a problem.”
Jungle Runners Espress is located at 140 Monroe St. next to Boomtown. They’re open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 371-4585 for delivery.