Ritual Coffee Memphis: Coffee, Cocktails & Connection
At 505 South Main, Ritual Coffee Memphis is designed to evolve throughout the day, offering coffee, lunch and cocktails in a space built around hospitality and connection. Owner Wade Hartsfield says he envisioned a place that was “coffee, cocktails and connection.” He wanted to create somewhere customers could make a regular part of their routine.
The name Ritual reflects that idea. Wade hopes guests feel welcome whether they stop in for their morning coffee, lunch or an evening drink. “The common denominator isn’t really coffee or cocktails,” he says. “It’s hospitality. It’s connection.”
The atmosphere is equally intentional. Wade worked with interior designer Angela Mazanti to create a space where “people could walk in and instinctively feel that they could stay awhile.” During the renovation of the historic South Main space, builder Perry Sponseller helped navigate the inevitable surprises and brought the project to completion.
Wade says he loves the contrast between the neighborhood’s historic character and Ritual’s energy. Ultimately, though, he hopes guests remember more than the coffee, cocktails and food. “The greatest compliment someone could give me would be, ‘They know me here.’”
Memphis Grindhouse: Coffee with a Cause
Memphis Grindhouse Coffee is a Black-owned specialty coffee roaster founded by lifelong Memphians Dwayne Chaffen and Rick Askew. Both entrepreneurs, they wanted to create a “recession-resistant” business, believing coffee would remain a staple in good times and bad. As Dwayne says, “No matter your color, your socio-economic background, people will always drink coffee.”
After abandoning plans for a coffeehouse in Whitehaven, the pair self-funded Memphis Grindhouse and launched online in December 2019. Their social media presence helped build momentum, and online sales grew during the pandemic. A News Channel 3 “Bright Spot” feature brought additional attention to the fledgling company.
Determined to control their own craft, Dwayne attended coffee-roasting school in Minneapolis. The partners then purchased a commercial roaster, installed it in their own space and began roasting their own beans. Today, Memphis Grindhouse offers light, medium and dark roasts sourced from Peru, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Colombia and Brazil. The Rock ‘N’ Roll medium roast is the best seller, followed by the Mighty Mississippi dark roast.
As the company has grown, so has its local footprint. Memphis Grindhouse is available at numerous retailers throughout the area, including Superlo Foods, High Point Grocery, South Point Grocery, Cordelia’s Market, Cash Saver, Memphis International Airport, Novel Memphis and Primo’s A Cut Above.
Beyond coffee, the company is committed to giving back. It supports Memphis literacy initiatives and supplies MSCS classrooms with school supplies. Its 901 Fund Charity Blend also donates $1.50 per bag to University of Memphis student-athletes.
With plans to eventually open a Memphis coffeehouse, Dwayne and Rick are continuing to build a business where coffee, community and purpose come together.
J Brooks: Where Ministry Meets Coffee
For John Pitman, ministry and coffee may seem like unlikely partners, but to him both are deeply relational. Born in Alberta, Canada, but now a longtime Memphian, John continues his pastoral ministry work while running J Brooks Premium Coffee Roasters, the specialty coffee company he co-founded in 2010. His path into coffee began unexpectedly in 2006, when a former student asked him to attend a coffee convention as a scout. He fell in love with roasting and began teaching himself everything, from green coffee sourcing to cupping protocols and customer experience.
What started as a way to supplement his ministry income eventually became a passion. J Brooks began small, roasting at a friend's facility and growing gradually through word of mouth. Today, the company has four full-time and six part-time employees and supplies coffee throughout the Memphis area.
J Brooks is a bit of an outlier by offering light, medium and dark roasts. “Coffees are like people—they all have their own personality,” John says. “So, each one is roasted differently in order to display its flavor sweet spot. At J Brooks, we roast only specialty-grade coffees, which comprise the top 7.5% of coffee in the world.” Morning Mercy, a light breakfast blend, delivers bright citrus notes, while Spirit of Memphis, the best seller, offers a balanced body with a hint of toffee. For dark-roast fans, Bootleg brings a rich, creamy profile with dark and milk chocolate notes.
Freshness is equally important. J Brooks roasts, packages and delivers its coffee to order rather than allowing bags to sit in inventory.
Locally, J Brooks beans can be found at retailers including Whole Foods, Fresh Market, Sprouts, Superlo, Miss Cordelia’s, Square Beans, Carrington Oaks and other Memphis-area shops. The company also supplies local favorite restaurants including Sunrise Memphis.
For John, it all comes back to connection, saying, “We want specialty coffee to be accessible to everyone” and to put “a stellar cup of coffee in the hands of everyone.”
Byway Coffee Brings Memphis Flavor on the Road
Byway Coffee Company founder Avery Amstutz was born in Memphis but spent much of her childhood moving because her family worked with a mission organization. After college in Indiana, she became a destination wedding photographer, traveling to more than 20 countries. She says, “Despite all the places I’ve lived and traveled, Memphis always felt like home.” That connection eventually brought her back and laid the foundation for Byway.
A natural visionary, Avery has explored a variety of careers, including restaurants, retail, teaching swimming lessons and eventually launching Highball 901, a mobile bar business. Each experience provided lessons that ultimately came together at Byway.
That opportunity arrived in November 2023, when Avery discovered a vintage Airstream trailer for sale. “My gut was telling me that this would be my way to step into the coffee industry,” she recalls. After purchasing it, she immersed herself in learning the business. “The first year was a crash course in entrepreneurship,” she says, from managing inventory and training staff to serving customers and navigating Memphis weather. Along the way, Byway developed a menu and social media presence that helped build a loyal following across the city.
Byway’s menu combines classic espresso drinks with creative monthly offerings. Favorites include White Cinnamon Latte, Blueberry Cobbler Latte and Banana Bread Latte. Every espresso drink begins with Byway Blend, roasted locally in Memphis. The signature blend combines 80% beans from Mexico and 20% from Bali, creating what Avery describes as an approachable, balanced and versatile coffee. Even in sweeter drinks, she says, “We want guests to enjoy fun flavors, but we also want them to taste great coffee.”
Another favorite is Dandy’s Tea, a lemon-lime-mint tea named for Avery’s grandmother, “Dandy.” Available as a bottled beverage, a portion of proceeds supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a cause close to Avery’s heart because her aunt was a St. Jude patient in the 1970s.
Today, Byway operates two Airstreams and serves thousands of customers each month, reflecting Avery’s original goal of bringing people together. She’s doing just that: bringing coffee and a little bit of Memphis wherever Byway goes. To find current locations, follow Byway on Instagram at @bywaycoffee.co.
Coffee has a way of bringing people together. Whether it’s shared around a kitchen table, picked up at a local grocery store or served at a gathering, every cup creates an opportunity for connection. That’s what we hope Memphis Grindhouse represents.