Every quarter at 7 Corners Coffee, we feature a different specialty roaster from around the United States, presenting relationship coffees from around the world. While we always serve Dogwood coffee as our batch brew and Nitro Cold Brew, and we’ll always have coffee shop staples like lattes, cappuccinos, etc., the featured roaster allows us to continually bring unique flavors and specialty beverages to our customers.
Our current featured roaster is Saint Frank, and today, we’d like to share a bit of their story. We believe there is a story behind every quality cup of coffee, and that is certainly true for Saint Frank.
About Saint Frank
Saint Frank is a coffee roastery (and coffee shop) based out of San Francisco. Named after its home city, Saint Frank was founded in 2013 by Kevin Bohlin. Kevin wanted to connect his local community with the farmers and distributors who work tirelessly to produce the amazing coffee beans that are often taken for granted.
The coffee that comes from Saint Frank can be traced back to the farm that originally produced it, and Kevin makes sure that the farmers there have good working conditions and earn a livable wage. In fact, he regularly visits them in person throughout the year.
The emphasis on cultivation and community actually ties back to their company name. “Saint Frank” actually serves a dual purpose, deriving from both their hometown and its eponym, Saint Francis of Assisi.
Saint Francis was an Italian born into a wealthy family who left behind a luxurious life to build community and live among the poor and downtrodden. Though he died at the age of 44, Francis left a lasting legacy of social equality and compassion. Two years after his death, he was made the patron saint of ecology, honoring his love of animals and nature.
Saint Francis’s heart for people and nature come together at Saint Franks through their relationships with their farmers and the appreciation for the wonderful product that they grow.
How Saint Frank Inspires Us
We love Saint Frank not only because they produce some amazing coffee, but because they have a heart for relationships with their producers. They know the people growing their beans, and they make sure those people are taken care of.
We are also inspired by the culture they strive to create at their company.
At Saint Frank, they have a practice where every employee takes 15 minutes at the start of their shift to pray and/or meditate. This allows them to move beyond their personal thoughts and prepares them for what’s ahead.
This is inspired by Saint Francis himself, who experienced something life changing after being imprisoned for nearly a year. Isolated from his family’s wealth and status, he said he began to hear the voice of God telling him to leave his life behind and serve among the poor.
Following Saint Frank’s (and Saint Francis’s) example, we’re trying to do the same with our own staff, taking 15 minutes to clear our minds and remove the distractions before work so that we can better focus on the community around us.
If you would like to experience some of Saint Frank’s story, come visit our specialty coffee shop in Minneapolis. We are currently serving Little Brother Espresso and Single Origin Pour Over rotating between Lekali Estate, Napal (one of the worlds most unique and impactful coffees) Ninga Hill, Burundi & Parainema, Honduras Lanuneta, and more!
