About

A note from the founder

Hi, I'm Dave. I'm a software engineer, coffee enthusiast, and Takoma Park resident.

Coffee Card grew out of two things I've cared about for a long time: independent local businesses and very good coffee.

I previously lived in Asheville, North Carolina where the Go Local movement made a lasting impression on me. It showed me what can happen when people make a conscious effort to support businesses rooted in their communities (and when those same businesses see themselves as part of something larger than their individual storefronts).

My relationship with coffee goes back a while, too. I took coffee training with Counter Culture in Asheville in 2012 and spent several years convinced I would eventually open a cafe. That didn't turn out to be in the cards.

I did, however, own an EK43 "for science" in my home coffee setup (later sold it to a local cafe). I also started a small home coffee-delivery subscription service called Takoma Coffee Club - if you know, you know. I also have a tattoo of my favorite coffee shop on my right arm.

I've never officially worked in coffee and I don't pretend to know more about running a cafe than the people who do it every day. My background is in building technology products. Coffee Card is where those interests meet: using simple technology to help more people discover independent cafes, give them a reason to explore beyond their usual neighborhood, and direct more spending toward local businesses.

Coffee Card is still evolving and I'm always interested in hearing from cafe owners, members, and people who care about local coffee. Questions, ideas, and candid feedback are all welcome.