Meet the Roasters: The Father-Son Duo Behind the Beans
Meet the father-son duo crafting every batch, one roast at a time.
If you’ve ever walked into our shop and thought, “Wow… it smells amazing in here!”, you’re not alone. (Don’t worry—despite the smoke, we’re not on fire… we’re just roasting coffee 😉).
At Ohio Roasting Company, we do all of our roasting right here in house. It’s part of what makes us us: clean, fun, and rooted in community.
The Start of Something Special
Frank’s love for coffee has been brewing for over 20 years. He was always the guy serving coffee to family and friends, but it wasn’t until a trip to Hawaii—touring a coffee farm, walking through rows of lush coffee plants, and tasting fresh brews at the source—that his passion really began to expand. That experience sparked a vision: What if we could bring something like this home to Ohio?
By 2018, the idea for Ohio Roasting Company was born. At first, Frank imagined opening a roastery to craft and sell specialty coffee wholesale and online. But with his wife Mary’s encouragement, the vision grew into something even bigger: a coffee shop where people could gather, connect, and experience craft coffee firsthand.
When COVID hit, those plans were put on pause. But Frank didn’t stop learning. He set up a small kitchen roaster at home and dove in headfirst—studying, experimenting, and perfecting his skills. There were plenty of trial-and-error moments (and yes, a roasting pipe sticking out of the kitchen window to let the smoke escape). He even attended roasting classes to deepen his knowledge and bring his dream closer to life.
In December 2021, construction began on our dream shop. Frank moved from the tiny kitchen roaster to one that could handle 25 pounds of beans at a time—a whole new learning curve. After experimenting with countless roast profiles, our house roast Interstate-77 was born. It’s now the backbone of our coffee drinks and our best-selling bean.
A Father-Son Roasting Team
As the shop grew, so did the demand for fresh roasted coffee. After graduating high school, Frank’s son Roman stepped in to learn the family craft.
Roman says. “I saw roasting as something I could create and have people see how it’s made, and I found that really interesting.”
What started as Frank’s solo passion is now a father-son roasting team. Frank taught Roman everything he knew, and together they found their rhythm.
“I really enjoy working with him, and I’m glad he’s interested in it,” Frank says. “It’s exciting to have my family involved and to know they’ll have something to continue for themselves.”
These days, Roman handles much of the day-to-day roasting while Frank focuses on developing new blends and mentoring.
“I actually think we work pretty well together,” Roman shares. “I’ll help him and he’ll help me, but he also trusts me to do my own thing.”
We designed the shop so you can watch the process unfold in real time. Parents bring their kids to sit at the bar stools and see the coffee up close.
“I love when people and their little kids come to watch us roast,” Roman adds.
Curious customers peek in as Frank and Roman carefully monitor the roast, answering questions as they go. Roasting is focused work, but they’re always happy to share their passion.
“The visual of having the roaster in the shop gives customers a deeper connection with the coffee,” Frank says. “They can see it, know where it’s coming from, watch the process, and trust that their beans are being handled with care.”
For Frank, roasting is more than a job—it’s an art. A science experiment. A craft that takes patience, precision, and creativity. Every bean, every batch is a chance to create something exceptional for our community.
So the next time you step into the shop and catch that rich, toasty aroma in the air, know you’re smelling more than just coffee—you’re witnessing a craft that’s been years in the making. So, pull up a seat, watch the process unfold, and say hello. This is just the beginning of our story. Stay tuned as we share more about our favorite blends, the roasting process, and how to brew better coffee at home.
