Arts & Entertainment

Small-Batch Coffee Roaster Brews Success at Ferndale's Rust Belt Market

A closer look at one of the vendors you'll find this weekend at the Rust Belt Market.

The Rust Belt Market in Ferndale offers a unique experience for patrons as well as vendors. Each week, Patch will feature one artist to get a closer look at what they do.

This week, we chat with Amy Duncan, founder of HenriettaHaus Coffee Roasters. Duncan, who lives in Wyandotte, has been at the Rust Belt since its third weekend open.

HenriettaHaus

Who are you and what do you do?

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My name is Amy Duncan and I am a coffee roaster, founder of HenriettaHaus and a hoarder of antique wood.

How did you get your start?

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I was enjoying an Ethiopian coffee ceremony after a birthday dinner. They came out and waved coffee that they were roasting under my nose and it was at that exact moment I decided I wanted to roast my own coffee.

My husband mentioned that to my mother-in-law and she bought me a Whirley Pop stovetop popcorn popper and some green coffee and I've been roasting ever since! That was 2003.

What inspires you?

Hard question! I get inspiration from many things. I guess if I have to narrow it down it is the desire to have good coffee in my mug and good coffee in yours. My customers keep me going.

What is it about the Rust Belt that attracted you to it?

I had been looking for a spot to open my business for a few years before The Rust Belt Market opened. My biggest roadblock had been landlords. Every time I would find a space I liked something would go wrong and I'd be looking again. I had been following the development of the Rust Belt Market and thought it looked like an awesome idea. I missed the first two weekends but made it on the third and have been there ever since!

The best part is that it's an affordable way to grow your business surrounded by 60-70 other unique artists and run by two very amazing people. I'm not sure there is another place where I could have built this weird coffee fortress out of antique pump organs and other salvaged bits and pieces!

Tell us one thing about your work that would surprise us.

It's all decaf. Just kidding! I don't know. Maybe the surprise is yet to come. In fact, there are a few developments in the works so keep your eyes and ears out!

Check out HenriettaHaus from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Rust Belt Market. Find more information on HenriettaHaus here.


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