Conversations with Richard Lillibridge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Lillibridge.

Richard, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
It started on a trip to Vancouver visiting my sister. Her husband had a tiny tabletop roaster that handled less than a pound at a time — but the first cup I tasted was an AHA moment: coffee that tasted unlike anything I’d known. By the time we arrived home, and this tabletop roaster was waiting at the front porch, my wife joked, “Now I’m in trouble.” I spent nights learning to roast, reading everything I could get my hands on. Going to roasters in Atlanta and seeing what it was really like. I would take this information and make it my own, then bringing samples to coworkers at the hospital where I work. They had the same reaction, the AHA moment and I knew I was hooked.
One afternoon my wife pulled to the house and found a semi-trailer unloading a small 2 kg gas roaster. Then she really knew she was in trouble. I began to experiment using my medical side to keep the technical side in check all while using my creative side to make my own roast profile. Every Saturday we set up at the local farmers market for several years. Watching people take that first sip, the AHA moment, and realize coffee could be this way. I explained this is not the same coffee our parents drank, needing sugar and cream to make it palatable. This coffee is brighter, more complex, and expressive of origin, from the soil to the people to the processing. We would ask people to just taste it black first. We know have a steady following of black coffee drinkers. We then became the first certified SMBC coffee roaster in Ga. SMBC refers to Bird Friendly® coffee, a stringent certification created by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. If you haven’t hear of this check it out, it’s a great program. After three years into the farmers markets, going sometimes to 2-3 markets in a week, we opened our first brick-and-mortar. The roastery in the back and a tiny café in front. The community that loved our coffee supported us through the challenges of COVID; we consolidated and opened our café at 1 S. Main St., closing the smaller café space at the roastery. Almost 6 yrs in this location now and we continue to grow, in this time frame we have expanded our menu, and gained more employees. The coffee remains the same with my attention to detail with every roast. Our community has been our our biggest cheerleader. Our Red Bean Café community exists because our customers feel a genuine connection. Conversations across tables, or simply being greeted by name at the counter or remembering favorite drinks. That smile is the glue that holds this all together.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like any small business we have our good days and not so good days. Working full time at the hospital gives us the stability that is needed. Covid was a critical time, but our local community stepped up. We started shipping and have shipped as far as Thailand to the Middle East. Our local families sending their favorite local roasted coffee to friends and family all across the USA and abroad. Then the continues rise in coffee prices. Being the second largest commodity in the world has its advantages and disadvantages. Every small roaster feels this pain. Larger roasters can purchase 1 to 2 years of green coffee needs at a time. This helps insulate them a bit better from the fluctuations. I pay a premium for a premium product.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have been in the medical field since 1986. MRI had just come out of clinical research, and I was fortunate enough to be right there. I’ve worked with start-up companies to hospitals. Currently I am the Lead MRI Technologist at Piedmont Mountainside Hospital. The medical field is evolving and changing at an incredible speed. One must be able to keep up and continue educating oneself and stay current.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up in Northern California. San Francisco Bay area and then NAPA. I was born in Arles France and have been fortunate enough to travel the world. My father was an engineer and worked overseas most of his life. He would take on a anew job about every 2 yrs. I have spent summers in Spain, Algeria, Columbia and many times traveling alone before the age of 13. All sports was my outlet, especially soccer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.redbeanharvest.com/
• Instagram: @redbeanharvestcoffee
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RedBeanHarvestCoffee
• Other: https://global.si.edu/projects/bird-friendly%C2%AE-coffee-program