Goodrich – Locally owned ABeanToGo gourmet coffee company has been ordered to stop roasting by the Goodrich Village Council.
In response to neighbors complaints regarding the smell of roasting coffee, ABeanToGo Master Roaster Kirk Walker investigated ways to eliminate the odor.
This spring, Walker had a custom-designed afterburner installed. Neighbors, located near ABeanToGo coffee, 9091 Fox Hollow, appeared before the village council last Monday to complain it didn’t completely eliminate the odor.
Council members recently investigated the smell by visiting the business.
‘It was tough to tell with the wind direction,? said village council member Mike Glynn. ‘Every once in a while I’d catch a whiff of it. I don’t know if it was that strong.?
‘I didn’t think the odor was at all offensive,? said council president Keith Walworth.
‘That’s your opinion,? said neighbor Lianne Zarycky.
Neighbor Christopher Perry stated the smell of roasting coffee beans makes it difficult for him to swim in his swimming pool.
Christopher and Gretchen Perry passed around photographs taken of the Walkers? home as proof coffee roasting equipment could be seen from their homes. The Perrys did not return a phone call to The Citizen.
‘We’re at the point we need to do something,’said Walworth. ‘I think we’re going to have to request you cease operation.?
Walworth suggested giving the Walkers 90 days to cease and desist.
‘Thirty days should be plenty of time to wrap up production,? said neighbor Andy Zarycky. ‘All they have to do is triple their output.?
‘Triple output means you have to get triple customers,? Walworth said. ‘It isn’t feasible’this is someone’s livelihood.?
Neighbor Gretchen Perry, who stated this spring she was concerned that children would smell the roasting coffee beans while passing through their garages to wait for the school bus, asserted that 30 days should be sufficient to relocate the roasting operation.
In the meantime, Gretchen outlined a schedule of satisfactory roasting times during the remaining month of operation. The village council approved Gretchen’s recommended allowance of three specific roasting days over a two-week period, ordering Walker to cease operations by July 15. Local fire marshall Jim Naugler will inspect the operation; if deemed a fire hazard, production will cease immediately, said village administrator Jakki Sidge.
The Walkers are currently looking for a commercially-zoned building to house the coffee roasting operation.
In response to the complaints, Walker apologized to his neighbors that the afterburner did not completely eliminate the odor and Kirk’s wife Amy Walker invited neighbors over for coffee.
Although the Walkers admitted news of their family business being closed was difficult, they’re confident it’s an obstacle that will work in their favor.
Having founded their business on faith in God and the example of Bible characters Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’whose faith was tested by being thrown in a fiery furnace’the Walkers say the order is an opportunity to see how God will work.
ABeanToGo coffee is available at Goodrich Marketplace on M-15 in Goodrich.