New cafe opening in Mount Vernon

MOUNT VERNON — A couple is planning a new coffee shop opening in Mount Vernon this summer.

Katrina and Joel Anderson, former co-owners of Wake Up Iowa Coffee, have been running a roasting and distribution business for the past seven years. When Mount Vernon Pharmacy moved down the street to a new location, the owners decided to move their roaster to the vacant spot at 113 First St. E., Anderson told The Gazette.

They also decided to open a completely new brand — Little Scratch Coffee Roasters — as they parted ways with a former business partner.

The new space focus on providing beans for home brewers to brew quality coffee at home, complemented by plans to hold coffee education workshops. The new shop will have a walk-up window to serve the brand’s signature espresso bean, Pinhook Premium, and some “cool, experimental” coffees, plus teas, drip coffees and espresso-based drinks.

“Our drinks will emphasize seasonality and utilize locally-sources ingredients,” Katrina told The Gazette. “The owners of our building are shaping the quite large space to suit the needs of their tenants. With our build-out of a quarter of the space and Iron Leaf Press taking a quarter as well, they still have some square footage to fill.”

With final touches on the build-out in progress, Little Scratch Coffee Roasters plans to open to the public by May 6, when Chalk the Walk starts in Mount Vernon. Appointments for coffee bean pickups are available in the mean time.

Little Scratch is sold at several area retailers across Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Marion and Mount Vernon.

Their former brand, Wake Up Iowa coffee, is served at Basta, Goosetown Cafe, Wild Culture Kombucha, Trumpet Blossom Cafe, The Dandy Lion, The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, Bluebird, White Rabbit, The Green House and Hy-Vees in the Iowa City and Dubuque area.

Comments: (319) 398-8340; elijah.decious@thegazette.com