About

I have dreamed of opening my own version of Barking Dog Roasters for many years. Growing up I was always proud of my father’s business and the community he created around it. I remember the first shop in the space at  11 Central Ave, where we used bags of green coffee instead of chairs. The roaster took up the center of the cafe space as the hand built outside fountain drowned out the noise of Hwy 12 right on the other side of the fence. For my family this place was our second home. For me, though, coffee goes even further than that. Coffee gave me my life back, coffee is the first thing I remember enjoying again when I first started “winning” (if you can call it that) in my fight with Major Depressive Disorder. The days before it were dark for me but I remember that cup clearly. It was a naturally processed Ethiopian Harrar with the classic intense notes of blueberries—just blueberries (and the slightest hint of citrus fruits). I honestly believe that cup saved me and to this day it is still one of the best cups I have ever had. At the time I was an angry, empty shell of myself, honestly close to doing something I thankfully never did. But that cup brought me true joy. It was my reminder that life can still be great and sometimes all you need is something as simple as a cup of coffee to remind you of that.

It wasn’t until much later (sometime around 2010-11) though that I realized I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and try to bring the same joy to others that that cup brought me. A little while later I even had a name for my version, with the help of my mother: Småstad. Småstad roughly translates to small town (city) in Swedish. It’s a name that represents the ethos of what I believe coffee provides. It represents: the sense of love and support and community one finds in a small town, the fact that our coffee directly connects us with the farmers in faraway countries on a level most of us don’t even realize, and my family’s past and our Scandinavian heritage. I still have the paper where I drew this fake company’s first logo (I should probably find that).

Moving ahead much further I want to introduce you to Småstad Coffee Roasters. Over 13 years in the making, I could not be more excited with how it has turned out.

I want to deeply thank my parents Sonja and Peter for their unwavering support. My partner Sarah for her constant encouragement. My siblings Kirsten, Martin, Eliot, and Libby for everything they have done for me over the years. My extended family, in laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends close enough to be family for all of your help. The team at the Barking Dog Roasters who have joined me on this adventure. My friends who have been waiting for years for this to happen so I can finally stop talking about wanting to do it. And everyone else who has supported and believed in not only this project but Barking Dog Roasters and what we stand for.

If you have read this far: thank you from the bottom of my heart, I have been thinking about writing this out for a long time.
But without further ado:

Welcome Everyone to Småstad Coffee Roasters!

-Victor Hodgson