About Us:

Since 1973 Coffee Emporium has been dedicated to bringing fresh perspectives to the craft of traditional artisan roasting and coffee and espresso preparation. As the oldest locally owned coffeehouse in the city, we are committed to seeking out the best coffees from all over the world. We believe that the way to ensure the greatest quality and achieve the greatest good is to bring control of the process to the local level; which is why we buy many of our coffees direct from the farmers at above market prices, roast the beans ourselves, and supply customers with only fresh, locally made pastries and lunches.

We believe our fate is intertwined with the neighborhoods in which we live and work. We know that when a person enters one of our locations, they are making an active choice to support us over others.

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History:

The Coffee Emporium first opened its doors in 1973 under the name of Coffee Tea & Spices in the basement gallery of what is now Tellerʼs restaurant in Hyde Park Square. In 1979 the owners, a mother and daughter, moved what then became known as Coffee Emporium to a 70 year old row house in East Hyde Park on Erie Avenue. Today there are only two such houses remaining, making our first store a sought after “destination location” for the people living in and around Hyde Park. During the 1980ʼs beans for Coffee Emporium were roasted off-site in Norwood, where Owner Tony Tausch first got his start as a roaster’s apprentice. In 1996, after a trip to the many diverse coffeehouses of California, where they witnessed the power of cafes to break down social barriers and involve all members of a community, Owners Tony Tausch and Eileen Schwab would decide to purchase Coffee Emporium.

In 2001, after riots in downtown Cincinnati plastered TV screens and newspapers, Coffee Emporium decided to take part in the reinvestment of Historic Over the Rhine and moved its roasting operations into a space on Central Parkway. By 2005, the local economy had improved and the population grew. When the large space adjacent to the roaster became available, the Coffee Emporium grew too, and what started as a roasting facility turned into a high traffic, full-service cafe.

The next addition to the Coffee Emporium operations was acquiring Noelʼs Plumbing at 12th and Walnut. Coffee Emporium warehouse operations and second-floor offices are now embedded in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.

In 2007 the community presented Coffee Emporium with yet another opportunity. Xavier University was looking for a local company to partner with its Entrepreneurial Studies program to give students access to the inner workings of a real-world business environment. And so an espresso bar was opened in the Gallagher Student Center to fuel the caffeine needs of students and provide its employees with valuable experience. This partnership expanded again in the Fall of 2010, with the new Xavier Café opening in the Williams College of Business.