Our Story
It doesn’t seem that long ago when Bob Watson bought a roaster, rented a space, and opened a coffee shop on State Street, just a couple blocks down from the capitol in downtown Montpelier, Vermont. It was 1998 and he called it Capitol Grounds.
In some ways it was a long time ago. Though the rolling hills looked much the same, getting a cell phone to work was it’s own unique adventure. The internet looked like a cartoon platypus version of it’s current self, and specialty coffee was as hard to find as a roosters tooth.
He had a vision though, and his commitment to finding and roasting excellent coffee has helped foster a culture of specialty coffee that has spread across Vermont.
In March of 2017, Capitol Grounds Coffee was branded as 802 Coffee. The same great coffee, from the same real people. We’ve grown, we’ve learned a tremendous amount about coffee beans, and life. I dare say we’ve grown a little wiser. As our roasting operation has matured we’ve developed relationships with farmers and importers that has opened our access to some of the finest coffees from around world. It’s an exciting time and we are serious about sharing our coffees with more great people.
January of 2020, Julia Watson, Bob's eldest daughter took over the ownership role and joined the 802Coffee team. Her enthusiasm and passion for what her father built brings an even more exciting time for us here at 802Coffee. With our dedicated staff, we hope to continue to thrive as 802Coffee hits an even bigger stepping stone in the company's history. A new roaster, a new facility... and more details to come!
Capitol Grounds Cafe is still on State Street; going strong and we’re still roasting coffee right here in the heart of Vermont. We could have never made it without our loyal customers and the support of Central Vermont and beyond. Thank you!