By Heather Collins
Owner Alec Tod said the idea to open his own coffee shop and roastery started with a popcorn popper, a camp stove and the desire to feed his own habit of enjoying fresh roasted coffee while celebrating its culture.
Indie Coffee Roasters is anticipated to open by the end of the year in Carmel’s Arts & Design District at 220 E. Main St. Tod, along with his wife, who are Fishers residents, and another Carmel couple, came together in March to work on offering coffee before it was mass-produced and filled with sugary syrup.
The drink menu will feature healthy, all-natural, low-sugar, low-calorie, non-processed options, including traditional espresso and cappuccino, hot chocolate, sparkling water, a traditional full-leaf tea and nitrogen cold brew coffee.
Tod said the shop will have a retro, vintage, welcoming feel.
“You should hear a little rattling of the beans in the roaster rolling around,” Tod said.
The shop is named after the couple’s dog, Indie.
Tod said the shop will focus on rethinking the coffee shop experience with an emphasis on service and educating customers about the art of coffee making. The shop plans to host educational courses, including Coffee 101, Home Brewing 101 and advanced coffee roasting classes. The shop will feature its own in-house coffee roaster in an open, community-oriented environment.
“We welcome, we give, we educate, we stand out and we have fun,” Tod said.
The coffee shop also plans to join with strategic local partners like Circle City Kombucha and Porter Books and Bread and Great American Donut.
Tod said the product will be presented in a way that highlights the artistry of coffee.
“Our goal is to be the best coffee roasting company in Indiana,” Tod said.
Bags of whole bean coffee by Indie Coffee Roasters are available at Silver in the City in Carmel and online.
For more, visit indiecoffeeroasters.com.
