1984 to February 12, 1986

I learned many things while working at Saks Fifth Avenue during the first six years after college. The most important lesson and the one I carried with me into starting my own business was simple. Selling a best-quality product was easier for me than selling something average. That meant that for what was then only an idea of a new business, I had to offer the very best. That became my bedrock principle, guiding every decision along the way. And it still rings true today.

What was the best-quality coffee?

I had no experience in the coffee business at the time, so I didn’t know exactly. But I did know coffee had to be fresh. I decided to roast my own so it would be fresher than my competitors’. I wrote letters to half a dozen roaster manufacturers. Yes, letters! Only one company called me back, about a small-capacity roaster that handled three kilos per batch and had a catalyzer to scrub smoke from the exhaust.

It turned out to be perfect.

The small batch size meant I could carry more types of coffee without worrying about them going stale. The catalyzer made it legal to roast in Manhattan. And this roaster had more controls than any other small roaster at the time, giving me the ability to roast accurately, batch after batch.

The next question was obvious. Where would I find the best coffee to roast?

I called the National Coffee Association in lower Manhattan and explained my idea. Most of their members were big companies, but the man on the phone took pity on me and mailed a photocopy of their last meeting program. At the end were listed some green coffee brokers. More letters went out, this time nobody responded. 

Fortunately, through the roaster contact, I was introduced to a gourmet coffee company in Los Angeles that was using the coffee roaster I was buying. They graciously showed me everything about the roaster, offered tips, and, thankfully, recommended a broker in San Francisco. She was selling the best specialty coffee in the United States and in small enough quantities that a new business like mine could afford. I made lifelong friends at both companies. 

That trip changed everything.

I had two of the three things I needed to make my business idea work: the perfect roaster and a specialty coffee source. The last piece was selling the coffee at reasonable prices. Of course, there were many other tasks to get the business running, but these were the essential pieces for coffee.

Starting Oren’s Daily Roast revealed something unexpected: how different the coffee business was from department store retail. People were willing to share their knowledge. There was a sense that others producing good coffee was better for all, and not just competition for the same dollar. So, to this day, I always share my knowledge when asked.