Whirlwind Coffee, housed in the former home of Gilchrist Hardware, 513 Madison St., is now open for business. After revitalizing the property and installing an environmentally friendly Sanfranciscan drum roaster, David Silverstein, Whirlwind owner, is ready to welcome coffee lovers to his philanthropic roastery.
A bright space, featuring a well-appointed counter area, welcomes guests. The cheery alcove boasts a colorful array of bagged single origin and custom coffee blends for purchase. Drip and pour over coffee are currently available for purchase by the cup and Silverstein anticipates having espresso drinks and a small artisan-based food program available in time for Mother’s Day.
Silverstein trained as a roster in Minneapolis and fell in love with the science behind roasting green coffee beans. Passion led him to open the small batch roastery, but Whirlwind also exists to give back to the community. The for-profit business has a profit-sharing approach designed to bolster area non-profit organizations.
Whirlwind is embracing a phased opening. The shop eased onto the local coffee scene with a soft launch on March 1 and is now open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Whirlwind is closed on Sunday.
Silverstein encourages everyone to mask up and “pop by to say hi.”
