Profile: Post Coffee Co.
Post is a Lee’s Summit café and roasting company that opened in 2015. They roast small batch, direct-trade coffee beans on site at their café. Post Coffee Company is owned in equal parts by Levi Holland, Katie Holland, Tanner Stevens and Elizabeth Stevens. Join us for a Q&A with Levi Holland to get a glimpse behind the scenes at Post.
Photos by Kaley Kocinski
What is your background?
I grew up on a farm in Iowa, which gave me insight into the struggles and joys of the commitment to entrepreneurship. I have a B.S. and Masters degrees in ministry, so I have also gathered many people and organizational skills up to the founding of Post Coffee Company.
What was your first cup of coffee ever? How about the most memorable cup?
Probably high school, but the first memorable cup was a washed Guatemalan coffee I experienced at the shop I worked at in college.
How did you get into roasting coffee?
I worked for Trevor Corlett (a co-founding member of Madcap) in college, and he operated his own shop and roasted in the basement of it, which piqued my curiosity into the entire process.
When did you open Post? What was your vision for the cafe?
We opened Post on January 1st, 2015. We wanted our space to be open and clean, straight lines and natural light, so that anyone could walk in and feel welcomed, feel the potential of creativity, experience the potential of being seen.
What are each of your ownership roles in the company?
Tanner is more of a general manager for our cafes (Post and Goat Hill) and I work on our wholesale side with roasting and client management. We process information differently and have different styles, and that has honestly been a great relationship that allows us to look at issues from multiple angles. Katie and Liz are constantly working on brand development, shop aesthetics, and provide the insight Tanner and I need from different perspectives. It really is a collaboration effort.
What is the best part of calling Lee’s Summit home for Post Coffee?
The people. We have met some incredible people, some incredible makers, some influential doers, and some critical thinkers. From the parents with babies and toddlers, to the senior citizens just getting “black coffee,” to all of the people in between. The community is part of the entire experience.
What have been some of your favorite experiences that you wouldn’t have had without Post?
Building something completely from the ground up, the way we wanted to, even amidst the struggles and hardships it has forced us to adapt. I’m proud of this place.
How do you source your coffee?
Currently, I work with a few different importing companies that I rely on to supply me with incredible, seasonal coffees, as well as connect me directly to farmers and producers. We are close to meeting and seeing these people face to face and creating long lasting relationships.
How often do you rotate your offerings?
Every two to three months for single origin, our specific blends we source year round.
What’s your process for experimenting with different origins, roasts, and blends?
We sample and cup coffees, going from first impressions to cupping scores. If they make it past the first cut, different roast profiles, different methods of brewing or preparing them to showcase them to all of their potential.
Is there anyone in the industry who you look up to?
I’ve always looked up to Trevor Corlett, someone who I knew personally as a friend, worked for, then became industry colleagues with. I heard his experience of failure and determination to continue doing what he loved and believed in, to running one of the most successful specialty coffee companies around.
How would you describe Kansas City’s coffee scene?
Eclectic. It seems there is a shop with a different vibe all over the city. You get very different experiences depending on which shop you go into in KC, and pretty much all of it has pretty great coffee.
What’s one local restaurant, store, or space you love?
Fox and Pearl. Amazing space. Amazing food. Good people.
What’s something you’re excited about the future of Post?
We’re expanding! We’ve begun a partnership with the Mid-Continent Library System, opening cafes in some of their spaces that are being renovated or rebuilt. We’re being presented with many new and exciting opportunities which goes to show that sticking with something you believe in, oftentimes against most odds, great things can start happening, even amidst a pandemic and so much uncertainty.
Made in KC partners with Post to create a unique house blend that you can enjoy daily at both Made in KC Marketplaces.
