Trinia Jean – Montavilla News

Hinterland Coffee Company is buying the building currently housing the business. Three months ago, owner Trinia Jean opened the storefront in a 1914 era building at 7112 NE Glisan Street. During the initial buildout process, it became apparent that future growth would require a substantial renovation. That level of investment is impractical as a renter. Purchasing the building became the only way forward to expand Hinterland’s business and realize the building’s potential.

The current property owner is interested in selling to Trinia Jean, and a downpayment is all that is needed to move forward. Having just opened the store and already investing in repairs to the building, Jean launched a Kickstarter campaign to gather the necessary funds. The $60,000 goal will cover most of the downpayment and allow the business to further transform the space into a “comfortable, inviting place for good folx to gather.”

With just over ten days to go in the campaign, Hinterland made the original goal and is now collecting additional funds. New rewards are available for backers, and the extra money could accelerate plans for the building. Jean is happy with the funding model she chose because people are receiving something for their support. Although it is possible to donate money to the cause, most backers are stocking up on coffee beans and unique apparel through backer rewards.

With the sale not yet complete, buildout plans are still in the pre-planning stage. Trinia Jean did not let herself look too far ahead as owning the building was still just a dream until this weekend. However, there are several next steps for the business. Permits to open the cafe are needed, and outdoor seating behind the shop will enable Hinterland to grow the coffee side of the operation. Coffee bean roasting and drink sales are on the path to take over the business’s income stream. Selling their collection of products that embody Jean’s “weird sense of humor” will always be part of Hinterland’s operation. It just has a narrow audience, according to Jean, “we’re not for everybody, and that’s OK.” In contrast, their coffee has broad appeal and the power to bring people together inside the shop.

Online retail continues to be the engine of Hinterland’s success. The people who take joy in the company’s creations have expanded thanks to the internet. Now the popularity of the brand has outgrown the capacity of their backroom print shop. In their early years, screen-printing was the main business for Hinterland. They provided commercial printing services for other companies and their selection of clothing. Recently they stopped taking outside work and soon will move all screen printing work to a local company.

While the rough space inside the building worked for screen printing, it will not work well for retail and cafe service. When building ownership is secured, and screen printing relocates, Trinia Jean will transform the whole building into a comfortable retail space. These improvements will take a restorative approach instead of modernization. She respects the 100-year-old building and enjoys its classic characteristics. Work will eventually uncover some of the building’s original architecture and repair it to survive many more years of use.

Trinia Jean has received a warm welcome to the neighborhood and general excitement for her efforts. This section of NE Glisan has grown sleepy over the years and has needed a revival. The residents appreciate the recent resurgence of activity. “Everyone is just excited to have some life in a space that didn’t have a lot of life initially,” explained Jean. With the funded Kickstarter campaign, people should start to see further enhancements to these shops and more lively activity around them.

Hinterland will open its second location at 7112 NE Glisan Street, expanding from the existing store in Sonoma County, California. Although currently closed to the public, the new storefront will eventually offer prepared coffee drinks along with retail items. Until then, this location serves as the hub for online sales and production.

The Montavilla store houses a roastery for coffee bean production and a printshop for clothing and other items. Finished products are shipped back to the California store to sell from that location. Hinterland’s two owners decided to expand north, splitting store management between them. Owner Trinia Jean runs the Montavilla shop and is in charge of coffee and apparel production. Jean moved to the region due to its lower cost of living and proximity to the bulk of Hinterland’s customers.

Hinterland began in 2014 as a screen-printing collaboration that exclusively uses American made clothes for their prints. Before the pandemic, they decided to expand into coffee production. Jean has 16 years of experience with coffee preparation and sales. Durning the COVID-19 shutdowns, coffee sales kept the business healthy, with Coffee Subscriptions becoming a significant portion of the companies monthly sales. The store in Portland provides expanded space for coffee production and online order fulfillment.

The shopfront’s patina attracted the business owner to Montavilla. “The storefront was rough, and I like to improver places,” explained Jean. The 1914 building had the right character for the company’s esthetic, and the store’s interior buildout embraces those features. An old display case left in the store is now merged with a salvaged bar to form a key fixture for coffee service. Jean explained that “there will not be many new things” decorating the store outside of inventory items. Instead, aged and reused items are preferred.

Hinterland’s operational footprint expands beyond the single shop. Jean rents 7112 and 7114 NE Glisan Street, using the back half of Citrine Bloom next door for coffee roasting and product creation. Cooperation between the two stores will expand when they open to walk-in customers. A passageway between the shops let customers transition between coffee, clothing, and plant shopping.

An opening date is dependent on health and safety recommendations from the State and County. Fortunately, the company is not solely reliant on in-person customers. Shopping the Hinterland website is an equally effective way to support this Montavilla based retail and manufacturing business. Eventually, the storefront will be alive with coffee service and shoppers, adding to the Glisan Street revival.