Rocky Rhodes, founder of Rocky Roaster, was born in Seattle, Washington where he was raised drinking great coffee. He studied at Seattle University where there was an espresso shop right in his dorm.

He entered the corporate world and worked in the computer industry for 14 years. Most of that was spent in downtown Seattle where there was good coffee on every corner. In 1991, that career brought him to the Los Angeles area. That was when everything started to change. You see, there was no good coffee in Los Angeles in 1991; at least none that he could find.

For years Rocky searched for good coffee. But when he would order a ‘Double Tall Mocha’ he was always greeted with that ‘deer-in-the-headlights’ stare which ended in a disappointing drink.

In 1996 Rocky found a book on coffee called “The Perfect Cup”, by Timothy Castle. He discovered that coffee could be roasted at home for personal consumption. All you need is some green beans and a desire for fresh coffee. He had the desire and the book mentioned a little local roaster in Sherman Oaks, called The Coffee Roaster where one could purchase green beans.

Once befriended by Dick Healy, owner of the The Coffee Roaster, he began to apprentice on Saturday mornings in the art of roasting. The passion for coffee became a great hobby. Soon he found himself selling coffee to friends and family. The computer firm he worked for became his first office coffee account. He finally decided to get serious with this hobby and opened a stand at two Farmers Markets on the weekend. This went extremely well, and within three months the hobby had turned into a viable business. Rocky Left his computer career to further his coffee business in 1997. With the support of his mentor, he was able to grow to seven Farmers Markets per week and add a few restaurants as wholesale accounts. He even started selling coffee by the gallon to the studios.

In order to maintain growth, Rocky built his current roasting facility in Canoga Park in 1999. He chose the PRIMO PRI-50 roaster to be installed. This roaster is rated at 49 Pounds which is one under the AQMD (Air Quality Management Division) level at which you are required to install very expensive smoke abatement equipment. This is also the primary reason Rocky picked his current location. “Roasting can produce a lot of smoke and an odor that most people like but some do not. Rather than offend folks, I built a facility where the prevailing wind takes most smoke right across the street to the vacant lot.

At this point he added another facet to the business by opening a retail shop at the same location. “I’ll be the first one to tell you that this is a foolish retail location, but it is a great roasting location.” Rocky says when asked ‘Why here?’ “My primary business is wholesaling to other restaurants and coffee shops. The retail is a wonderful add-on that augments the wholesaling and gives us a storefront legitimacy. I use it as a showcase for the wholesale accounts that come for cuppings (tastings) to demonstrate that I understand their business. I am grateful every day, however, for our wonderful retail customers that have become devoted fans and continue to spread the word.”

Since this article we have also been given the Small Business of the Year award from the Woodland Hills Chamber of Commerce in 2004.