LA FABRICA COFFEE ROASTERS Project Collab
LA FABRICA COFFEE ROASTERS
Project Collab
CONNECTION
It was just over a year ago now. I was passing through Girona on my way back from a weekend in Florence (having found a great budget deal to and from Pisa that weekend), to lunch with local bike refurbisher, Jaume Ibanez, aka Cutero Cycles. Learning I was on quite the quest to discover all things coffee in the area, he pointed me in the direction of La Fabrica, supposedly manufacturing the best coffee in town and having big connections with the local cycling scene.
I was intrigued, and after bidding adéu’s and downing the last salted bacalao, I was on my way to find this espresso haven among the medieval streets. Surfacing from narrow cobblestone alleyway and passing through their door at the base of a set of steps that seemed to wind endlessly up through the ancient walls of surrounding buildings, I knew this place was special. Greeting me at the counter was a familiar accent.
“Oh! Another Canadian?” stated Amber, almost knowingly. “I’m from Vancouver.”
I was excited to learn that she and her husband, Christian, had moved to Girona years ago as he continued to pursue his cycling career – making room for the Tour de France to fit nicely under his belt. His passion for specialty coffee, and her determination to one day open a shop of her own, La Fabrica [The Factory} was born, in an old, magnificent factory space.
“Have you fallen in love with the city yet?” she asked rhetorically. “I know you will, and by the time you’re back, we’ll have opened our second space just around the corner.”
By her smile of satisfaction, I knew that could be nothing less than the truth and that my return was only destiny.
LA FABRICA
COLLABORATION
Rewind only four months this time. I’m finally putting together the paperwork to get my visa to live and work in Spain, and beginning the task of making contact with potential partners to collaborate with on my latest project.
Remembering my discussion with Amber, I knew La Fabrica would be the perfect connection, for obvious reasons, and I’m so happy I reached out. Four months later, and here I am on the train back to Barcelona after shooting [riding] the shop’s annual Kick Ass Customer Appreciation Ride this morning in the montañas of Girona.
I also had the pleasure to spend a few days this past week getting geared up for my ride to Santiago, meeting the amazing team, and shooting their two shops in full swing.
ESPRESSO MAFIA
KICK ASS CUSTOMER APPRECIATION RIDE
It was a late night arrival as I got back to Girona after only a few days away. By 8:30 am, a large crowd had already formed in front of the shop with the most high-performance road bikes I had ever seen covering every square centimetre of wall space in the vicinity.
By 9, Christian had gathered his troops, and as riders finished their last sips, all that could be heard among these ancient city walls were the sounds of a thousand bike shoes clipping in and setting off.
Here are a few snaps from our 68 km, 2.5 hour cruise with approximately 1200 m of cumulative climb. They are certainly a seasoned crew.
Back at La Fabrica, well-earned sandwiches and à BLOC Bicycle Beers were available for the sweaty bunch. There was also a draw for some pretty amazing prizes, and everyone went away with a huge smile on their faces.
A fine example of coffee [and beer] bringing community together yet again.
