Miguel Peterson, with his outgoing demeanor, invites us in for a short chat. Because today is cleaning day.
We learned that Rimini has been roasting specialty coffee for 20 years in Salt Lake City. They wholesale coffee to many fine restaurants and retail their fresh roasted varieties from their location at 532 South 400 West and at Sugar House Coffee.
Rimini was bought by Sugar House Coffee owner, Bob Evans. Evans had a passion for specialty coffees and especially coffee shops. Evans truly believed that coffee shops are great community gathering centers. He built his Sugar House Coffee as the place where everyone, especially punk kids with piercings, tattoos and/or alternative lifestyles, could find a warm welcome and a fresh brewed cup of coffee.
At his height Evans operated three coffee shops all serving Rimini coffee. But operations consolidated after Evans developed cancer, from which he eventually lost the battle. Evans’ Sugar House Coffee and Rimini Coffee are still going strong. Evans’ commitment to community and his love of Sugar House and rebellious youth of all types will be forever remembered.
Today Evans’ daughter manages Sugar House Coffee and Evans’ wife checks in with Mark Wilson and Miguel, roasters at Rimini, to ensure they are still roasting top-notch specialty coffee.
Chatting with Miguel we learn that the coffee community in Salt Lake is very small, “Everyone knows everyone.” All all the roasters are friends. Miguel always has a place to stay when he visits northern Utah, around Logan, because he is longtime friends with the roasters up at Caffe Ibis.
