Editor’s note: This is the first story in an ongoing series featuring the multiple coffee shops in downtown Pullman, ahead of a tasting event in November hosted by the Pullman Chamber of  Commerce.

Jon and Steve Binninger, owners of Roost Coffee & Market, know a thing or two about coffee. 

The brother duo took over Roost about four years ago and have quickly turned it into a Pullman staple. Having spent over 2 decades in the coffee business, their experience and knowledge shines through one cup of joe at a time.

“What got me into the coffee business? I think I’d have to blame that on my brother,” Jon said. “He opened up a coffee shop and made me come and help build it with him.”

Back in the late 90s, Steve opened a coffee shop in Northern Idaho and roped his brother into helping out. After seeing the retail side of things, Jon said he became more interested in the roasting and wholesale side of the business. So in 1998, he started Landgrove Coffee Roasters with his wife, Hannah.

“Back then it was hard. There wasn’t any information on coffee roasting, and you’d go try to learn how to roast coffee and everybody got real quiet,” Jon said. “Now there’s all kinds of information out there. It’s easier to get started now but we had to learn the old way, the hard way.“

What started as a small operation has grown into a successful business. Jon said Landgrove Coffee now roasts roughly 150,000 pounds of beans each year, for customers around the US.

Landgrove roasts all of the coffee blends served at Roost, some of which cannot be found anywhere else. Jon said having a retail space in addition to the roastery has been a real game changer over the last few years.

The coffee beans are not the only thing sourced from in-house talent. All of Roost’s baked goods are made in the kitchen out back, along with their breakfast and lunch items. 

Thanks to a recent renovation that expanded both their kitchen space and seating area, the coffee shop is now offering more than it ever has. 

Jon said the kitchen expansion has allowed his bakers to get more creative with their concoctions. It has also allowed them to offer more breakfast and lunch items for those looking for a hot meal.  

“People just come from all over to get those croissants, pastries and all the other things,” Jon said. “It’s always a pain to try to find fresh baked goods for a coffee shop, so to bring it in house has really changed the game for us.”

At the barista bar, the drink menu has expanded to include blended drinks, which Jon said are popular among the college crowd. Roost makes all of the syrups they use in house, including the pumpkin spice, clove and maple bourbon flavors they are offering this fall. 

Sophomore business major Camryn Coppess said she occasionally stops by Roost to study. She enjoys the quality of the coffee being served and loves the atmosphere of the new expanded space.

“I used to be an interior design major, so walking in, the set up really caught my eye,” Copess said. “It’s really eclectic, like a lovely hodge-podge.”

Copess moved to Pullman in January 2020, when many local businesses were operating at a reduced capacity due to the pandemic. She said she is happy to see the downtown lively again, as it has allowed her to take full advantage of what local businesses like Roost have to offer.

For Jon, Roost Coffee & Market is about providing great service and a great experience for the customer, above all else. He said while they want customers to enjoy their coffee and pastries, he really wants them to leave with a smile on their face, feeling welcome.

“We’re just so proud of our team here. The bakers, the baristas, the kitchen folks and our new manager here, they’re all doing a great job,” Jon said. “We couldn’t be happier with how things are going and hopefully we’ll keep making lots of happy customers.”