A Good Cup

Bergen Coffee Roasters, located in the heart of Ho-Ho-Kus, offers coffee lovers an experience that extends beyond an exceptional brew. We spoke with owner Hannah Lee to dive deeper into her thought process when founding this favorite local spot.

What drew you to Ho-Ho-Kus as the location for Bergen Coffee Roasters? Given the town’s small size, did you envision the shop primarily serving locals, or did you expect it to attract customers from across Bergen County as it has?

I moved from California in hopes of opening my own ethically sourced coffee shop. While searching for a location, I was drawn to Ho-Ho-Kus for its warm neighborhood vibes and historic charm. Given its small population, I envisioned fostering a strong sense of community among customers in Ho-Ho-Kus and beyond.

What kind of experience do you want customers to leave with, besides a good cup of coffee?

First and foremost, the coffee should be good, as the quality of coffee equals the quality of service. Beyond this, I wanted to create a place where you can escape, work, socialize, and leave feeling part of a community.

Your website states that you pride yourself on ethically sourced coffee. Can you run us through the process of finding the perfect local producer for your coffee beans?

When contemplating where to source the beans, I considered that many coffee producers choose micro farms to harvest all organic, hand-picked beans. However, I felt particularly connected to a collection of farms in Bolivia. It’s so important to know where the coffee is coming from and who the farmers are to ensure consistency.

We see customers raving about seasonal, fun, rotating flavors on social media. How important is this rotating menu to you, and how do you think it has driven more business?

Seasonal flavors are very important nowadays. They bring fun to the experience, as it makes customers look forward to something when entering, with fun flavors like Coconut Daydream and Banana Bread.

In a region with so many cafes and coffee shops, especially being located just outside of Ridgewood, what do you think it is about your shop that makes people remember Bergen Roasters?

Bergen Coffee Roasters is known for its sense of kindness, a force that creates warmth in the shop. I love people, and the shop gives me a place to make connections with my employees and customers.

For more information, visit bergencoffee.com.

Grey DeLeon is an incoming freshman at Boston College who enjoyed her experience in publishing, gaining new insights into local businesses and the entrepreneurial process.

Catherine LaGalia is an incoming freshman at Indiana University studying psychology. She is passionate about learning how businesses operate and exploring the connection between human behavior and corporate success.