Retailer opens outdoor coffee business

Retailer opens outdoor coffee business

Outside Coffee Co. is located in the community garden at Woosah Outiftters in Grand Rapids' Wealthy Street neighborhood. Photo via fb.com

A local retailer is building on its outdoors theme with coffee.

Woosah Outfitters opened Outside Coffee Co. this month in Grand Rapids, at 734 Wealthy St. SE.

The company operates the coffee shop out of a converted camper in a community garden next to the outfitters shop.

Erica Lang, the owner of Woosah Outfitters, who also co-owns Outside Coffee Co. with her partner, Kelly McPhee, purchased the new Woosah location and the green space that would become the coffee shop in 2017.

“I started (Woosah) in college in 2011,” Lang said. ”And this really beautiful community has formed around our brand, and we’re all outdoorsy. We like to unplug, be outside and connect, and so (Outside Coffee) is a result of Woosah and the community that we’ve built.”

The garden features outdoor furniture for seating. Other amenities include bike racks, hammocks and a potted plant shop. The location is also pet-friendly.

The business sources its coffee from Grand Rapids-based Ferris Coffee & Nut Co., and the menu also features tea, kombucha and “trail snacks,” which are toast with a variety of toppings.

Lang launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for Outside Coffee Co. after exhausting personal funds on a special land-use permit from the city, purchasing the camper, coffee and supplies.

To date, the project has had 466 backers pledge $30,890 toward the $25,000 campaign.

Outside Coffee Co.'s regular hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day between May and December.