By: Calla Fragassi & Mackenzie Malek
The Bean Factory is a small coffee shop located in St. Paul, just off of Randolph. The name JS, or Just Steves, comes from the owner Steve who established the shop in 2001 and now runs the independently owned, local coffee shop and roastery.
Now that you know a little bit about The Bean Factory, let’s take you inside.
The menu is filled with a large variety of drinks, from different coffees to Italian sodas. We can’t forget about the choice of pastries such as donuts and croissants. They also sell a selection of local art, skin and body care products, as well as some of their own merchandise, such as hats and sweatshirts.
The Bean Factory, hence the name, produces their own coffee beans, so you will be guaranteed to have a fresh cup every time. They serve three different coffees daily; one decaf and two regular coffees from different countries. If you don’t find your favorite coffee on the menu, they will make you an individual cup of coffee at their brew bar. Just ask and they will brew it for you!
They are also able to make accommodations or changes to any drink you want to suit you. The Bean Factory offers a punch card where once you buy nine drinks, you get the tenth one free for a drink of your choice. They also offer seasonal drinks like apple cider, pumpkin flavored drinks, and more.
JS is very environmentally friendly, having all compostable lids, cups, straws, and napkins!
Some of our favorite things to get at the Bean Factory are an iced chai latte or a blended mocha for on the go! If we have a bit of time to sit and study or catch up we either get hot chocolate or Steve’s double smoky coffee. If you’re planning on sitting in, you can get your drink in a JS coffee mug, or if you’re on the go you can get one of their compostable cups.
When the temperature is warming up there are outdoor seating options along with the inside seating all year long. The outside patio has an overhead shelter and is decorated with festive lights. If you are lucky enough you will get to hear some local live music that plays at JS every once in a while.
JS is right between the Macalester Groveland and Highland Park neighborhoods, which is a very welcoming community. Welcoming communities build connections between newcomers and long-term residents by strengthening relationships, and communicating shared values. Along with the community itself, the staff is very friendly and inviting.
In 2019-2020, a new Starbucks was supposed to be built on the corner of Randolph and Snelling Ave, but the community expressed their opinions on the new building and how it would take away business for The Bean Factory. After a communal vote was held, the project was moved down to the corner of Snelling and Stanford Ave which is far enough away that the small coffee shop was able to keep their business and their customers.
Their mission is to serve the community by bringing only the best coffees, roasted to perfection. They are dedicated to providing their customers with the highest quality coffee beans from a variety of different countries. The Bean Factory has also been very thoughtful to the HPSH community as they are one of our hockey team’s silver sponsors this year! They have continuously supported the team and our players throughout the season, and we cannot wait for the partnership to grow!
After many visits to the bean factory and getting to know the friendly staff and welcoming community, trying the variety of drinks and food, buying the merchandise, and getting to enjoy the local coffee shop feel, JS has become one of our favorite places, because of all it has to offer.
For more information, please visit their website at:
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