User:Cpnew3/sandbox

Compass Coffee is an American coffee company headquartered in Washington, D.C. Founded in 2014 by Washington natives and former USMC 1st Lts. Michael Haft and Harrison Suarez, the chain currently has five locations in the District of Columbia, along with distribution contracts through the greater Washington metropolitan area. Know for its commitment to “Real Good Coffee,” all coffee and coffee beans sold at Compass are roasted in-house. Compass Coffee is also a founding partner of the Made in DC program, which aims to support local small business.

Origins
The two-cofounders, Haft and Suarez, first met during their time as undergraduates at Washington University in St. Louis. After independently enlisting in the Marine Corps, Haft and Suarez trained together at Camp Lejeune, NC and later deployed to Afghanistan as platoon commanders in 2011. While there, they often met over coffee to discuss each man’s work and experience while on deployment. This connection and shared love of coffee led the two to self-publish an e-book titled “Perfect Coffee at Home” upon their discharge from active duty service. Following the publication of the book in July 2012, the pair decided to pursue their own coffee shop.

The duo purchased a small roaster using personal funds and installed it in the basement of Haft’s parent’s home which they converted into a makeshift research facility. Their efforts built on the research they had done in making the e-book, and helped eventually lead to the creation of nine custom blends of beans. The company sources from the three main coffee growing regions of the world--Central and South America, Africa, and Asia--for their blends, as well as a rotating collection of single origins roasts.

The first Compass Coffee cafe opened in July 2014 at the site of a former laundromat in the historic Shaw neighborhood of Washington. Offering the full range of beans for purchase, as well as an espresso roast, and locally baked pastries, the shop opened to much fanfare. The cafe centerpiece was the 2,900 pound roaster used to roast the raw coffee beans, which continues to be used for all Compass roasts. Offering free wi-fi, still and sparkling water on tap, as well as the menu of coffee drinks and teas, the Roastery features multiple communal tables as well as smaller private ones.

Expansion
Building on the success of the first location, Compass constructed another cafe at the nearby upscale apartment complex, The Shay. Opening in September of 2015 and using the same design aesthetic of natural wood and metal as the first location, it differed by being noticeably smaller, and without an on-site roaster.

Over the next 18 months Compass opened three more shops in DC, a location in Chinatown, one near the White House at the corner of 18th and Eye street, and most recently inside the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The Convention Center opening was notable for taking over the lobby retail space formerly occupied by Starbucks Coffee Company. It has been reported that the chain plans to open additional shops in and around Washington within the next year, as well as a new roasting facility in the Ivy City neighborhood.

Critical Reception
As of July 2017 Compass has an average score on both Zagat and Google reviews of 4.7 out of 5. Dcist, a local culture and lifestyle blog, listed Compass as the #5 best coffee shop to do work at.

It is rumored to have been the official coffee of the White House Navy Mess (the main kitchen for West Wing offices) during the final years of the Obama administration, though Haft and Suarez wouldn’t confirm when asked by a local blogger. In addition, Compass is served at a variety of DC based restaurants and hotels, including the Founding Farmers chain. Since 2015 it has also been stocked at Whole Foods Market, according to the Compass Coffee official twitter account.

Company Values
Compass Coffee is a founding member of the Made In DC small business group along with Union Kitchen Incubator. At first meant to help emerging local entrepreneurs get off the ground through classes, the non-profit has now expanded its focus on promoting existing local business in the District of Columbia. Compass is also known to ‘Buy American’ for most of its materials.