Earlier this week I became aware of the plight of Jim & Patty’s Coffee: Their financial situation is exerting major pressure on their ability to survive. So, they started a fundraiser—and they need your help.
Patty Roberts, the surviving half of the Jim and Patty’s duo, has been at this work for almost 50 years. She and Jim started their coffee journey in 1976 as The Coffee Man, and in 1983 it became Coffee People. Motor Moka, an espresso drive-thru business, is also in the timeline, starting around 1990. And 22 years ago in 2002, they opened Jim & Patty’s Coffee.
The Joy of Jim & Patty’s
I’ve been going to their NE Fremont location since I moved to Portland and have had a lot of delicious food there. First, there are the “Pig Newtons” made with two little sausage links wrapped in a biscuit, seriously delicious. They have vegan and GF versions, plus my favorite, the Super Jack, made with pepper jack cheese and topped with a slice of fried jalapeño pepper. They’ve also got biscuit breakfast sandwiches that are epic.
Then there’s all the sweet baked goods: scones, coffee cake, muffins, cinnamon rolls, hand pies, and one of my favorites, the Mommie Dearest cookie. On the beverage side of things they offer a wide variety of coffee drinks (make mine a Vanilla Borgia) and shakes. And they have coffee beans for sale!
The space on NE Fremont is relaxed and is a gathering place for all sorts of people. Our household really enjoys going there.
The Fundraiser
Right now, the goal of the fundraiser is $250,000. Close to $17,000 has been raised at the writing of this article. The plan, according to Patty, is: “We will start by catching up with rent. Our two landlords have been patient, but that will only go so far. Once rent is caught up we will have some breathing room. Then we’ll start in on our loan payments.” She adds, “The goal of 250k would not clear our debt, but it would slow down the cash drain and give us a chance to make operational changes that we hope will keep us in the game.”
Economics has really done a number on the business. COVID was a troublemaker economically and after that, the rising costs of everything in running a business has been brutal. Jim was also very sick and Patty took on 24-hour care of him. “We lost our beloved Jim, but his vision still guides us, and Patty is back in the stores. Every day our tables are full and the vibes are good. But if we can’t trim overhead and debt soon, we will be forced to close our doors.”
Changes
You can read how they are implementing changes they hope will be beneficial, on the Gofundme. Here is a summary:
- Prices raised on breakfast sandwiches.
- Abbreviated hours: 6am to 1pm Monday-Friday and 7am to 1pm on the weekends.
- Baking in-house instead of outsourcing. They make their products there on NE Fremont.
- Offering discounts to public servants: nurses, teachers, police officers, paramedics, TriMet drivers, and fire fighters. The hope is this will increase sales.
Help if You Can
They would love if you could help. But they also recognize that times are hard for everyone. Patty takes a bit of a philosophical attitude, upbeat to the end: “And if this doesn’t work and we have to close in the end, so be it. Every business has a life, and we’re grateful for the wonderful life we’ve had in Portland and Beaverton for so many years. Jim used to say that even though we haven’t become rich, we haven’t missed a meal either!”
If you can help, head to the Gofundme. Or, visit one of the Jim & Patty’s locations—NE Fremont in Portland and the other location in Beaverton—for something good to eat and drink. Wishing them all the best and I look forward to stopping in soon for a Pig Newton and Vanilla Borgia coffee.
Jim & Patty’s Coffee
Gofundme fundraiser
4951 NE Fremont Street, Portland and 4130 SW 117th Avenue, Beaverton
jimandpattys.com | Instagram | Facebook
Meg Cotner
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I’m a fan of getting a bunch of frozen pig newtons (I also prefer the super jack). You can pop them in the over anytime. Love those Mommie Dearest cookies, too!
Hey, that’s a really good idea about the Pig Newtons! My favorite version of the Mommie Dearest is when they use pink frosting and the cookies are really soft.