Coffee by Design (CBD) celebrated its 25th anniversary on June 30 with a day-long party at its Diamond Street location. The party featured Burundi drummers, an Ethiopian coffee ceremony, live music (with Samuel James, SnugHouse, and Viva), Congolese dancers, a coffee blending competition, coffee cupping, poetry, henna art, and food trucks. Coffee by Design was founded by Mary Allen Lindemann and Alan Spear on Congress Street in 1994. The intent was community-focused from the beginning – to create a gathering place for the community, and also to help support the arts. Today the company has a roastery, sells to nearly 600 wholesale and mail order customers, including internationally, and operates multiple coffee shops – three in Portland, and one in Freeport. CBD has earned B Corps Certification, which reflects the company’s commitment to high standards of social and environmental stewardship.
