– Our Story –
We believe every good cup of coffee is part of a vision
A vision to indulge in the delicious result of hundreds of hours of labor and thousands of miles of transit. Since 1995, the Goodman family and our partners have been striving to carry out this vision, from our earliest venture in 1995 as one of the first specialty coffee shops in Chattanooga, to the creation of Goodman Coffee Roasters in 2016.
Goodman Coffee recognizes the only way for a holistic vision to succeed is by honoring every piece of the story. This means celebrating the centuries-old history of land and farmer by partnering directly with producers, ensuring every square hectare of land and pair of hands holds inherent value in the movement from farm to consumer. It means we develop relationships that transcend profit margins, and strive to protect those origins by roasting, brewing, and serving our coffee with integrity.
We cup obsessively, profile each coffee individually, roast attentively, and blend intelligently.
It is our hope that specialty coffee becomes synonymous with intention - intention to cultivate equity, conversation, and education. And in the process, deliver a cup of coffee that has been curated to the highest quality.
– Ian Goodman –
master roaster, CO-owner
Ian began his coffee career as a teenager studying under a roaster in St. Louis, Missouri. After spending a summer building a clean water pipeline for indigenous tribes in the mountainous jungle of Sumatra, he developed a passion for coffee countries, their cultures and people.
By 1996, at only 22, he opened his first coffee shop in downtown Chattanooga, where he quickly found himself educating people on 3rd Wave specialty coffee and building relationships. Soon after, he began roasting everything in-house, with the goal of offering the freshest coffee and showcasing the flavor profile of each region, cultivar, and crop. This grew into one of the largest independent roasters in the Southeast. Even after selling the company in 2007, he continued contributing to the entrepreneurial landscape of Chattanooga. And in 2015, his dreams of returning to his craft began to take root. He began roasting again in the heart of historic St. Elmo, Tennessee, in 2016, and later that same year, he opened a shop in Warehouse Row.
He is easily recognized by his shy smile, consistent approach, masterful roasting, and often a few coffee stains on his freshly laundered shirt. His regular offering of expertly roasted beans rotates with great coffees from all of the major coffee growing regions.
Ian remains thankful to have a following of customers who trust his palate and he especially enjoys partnering with farmers who are actively pursuing sustainability and community development. For him, sharing the storied history and complexity of each individual coffee, from bean to cup, is the best part of every day.