Wrecking Ball Coffee OUT at Firehouse 8

Rothgeb and Cho, working the pop-up. [Photo: niallkennedy/Flickr]

In an unexpected move, Friday was the last day for Wrecking Ball Coffee founders Trish Rothgeb and Nick Cho in the Firehouse 8 space that opened last year. It doesn't appear that the split was entirely pleasant, either: "It's been a lovely space, but it hasn't been a good fit for a number of reasons. Despite recent events, we wish the Firehouse 8 folks the best of luck," Cho tells Sprudge. "Pulling out of the space was 100% our decision. That's all we'd really like to say about it right now."

Now that they're without a space, Cho says he and Rothgeb will continue to roast for wholesale partners and sell beans online, and they're on the lookout for a more permanent location (neighborhood unspecified). They're also planning to continue teaming up with Amy Brown and Joe Wolf of Marla Bakery, who are seeking a space of their own in the Richmond, and will continue to pop up in other spots here and there. Their business importing and distributing Kalita coffee gear in North America will also continue.

"Eventually, we're working towards building a world-class coffee educational institution, to help provide our industry with the knowledge and training that will push us all forward," says Cho. "But as we mentioned before, our priority is opening shops to serve people great coffee the ways we know how."

· Pop Up Pops Down: 5 Questions For Nick Cho of Wrecking Ball [Sprudge]
· Wrecking Ball Coffee Opens at Firehouse 8 [~ ESF ~]