Uptown Roasters Brings Coffee And Community Space To Park Slope

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — Harlem-based Uptown Roasters has branched out to Park Slope, opening a new shop this week at 355 7th Ave.

Co-owner Dan Hildebrandt, who runs the business with his wife, Shanna, explained that he first started learning about the coffee trade in 2010, when he became involved with a venture helping Peruvian farmers to sell beans roasted in the jungle to buyers in Lima.

Uptown gets some of its coffee from "microlots," or small-scale shipments direct from growers, Hildebrandt explained. In addition to selling Peruvian coffee, the cafe is sourcing beans to Burundi, Ethiopia, Brazil, Indonesia, and other countries. Hildebrandt is also forging ties to locals, and is selling Tom's Lemon Coffee, which is made in Brooklyn.

Barista Seynabou Gueye inside Uptown

Hildebrandt said he's excited to run a shop in Park Slope, where "the sense of community" is strong. To that end, Uptown built a community space into the shop that can be used for gatherings and events. Hildebrandt said he and his wife, who is a kindergarten teacher, also want to use it for programming. One idea: a class where kids and parents can learn about coffee together.

The community space inside Uptown Roasters

Uptown is currently open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It may extend those hours in the future and hire additional employees, Hildebrandt said, after he gets a better sense of his customer base.

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[Editor's note: an earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the address of Uptown Roasters as 335 7th Ave., instead of 355 7th Ave. The error has been corrected above.]

This article was originally published on February 16

Pictured at top: Uptown Roasters in Park Slope. Photos by John V. Santore.