If you walk into Java Flix and overhear the owners talking about green beans, rest assured ? they’re not talking about the long, slender vegetable that grows up a trellis in backyard gardens everywhere.
They’re talking about unroasted coffee beans, green from the tree.
As the owners of Beanstro, a specialty coffee roaster, Paul and Melissa Pardales were immediately interested when Java Flix, a Clarkston-area business showed up for sale.
The couple wants to be known as the local roasters; the coffee shop that features freshly roasted, freshly ground and freshly brewed specialty coffees, along with a comfortable atmosphere to enjoy it in.
‘I was 25 or 26 years old when I found out coffee was more than brown water,? said Paul, who was introduced to the roasting process by a friend in Rhode Island. ‘It became my hobby and my passion, and now my career.?
Paul, who previously owned a chain of Little Ceasar’s restaurants, engaged in a great deal of special training and research on the intricacies of the coffee roasting process, and also learned about the multitude of different coffee beans available from different regions around the world.
While he’s been roasting and selling wholesale to local coffee shops and cafes for about four years, the foray into retail began last summer with the purchase of Java Flix.
The shop features its own decaf and breakfast blend, a signature espresso and a blend named after each of the couple’s four children: Amalia, 13; Theodora, 11; Charlie, 6; and Melina, 6.
The couple own their own roaster, which is currently housed in a separate facility in Waterford, but the hope is to bring it into a permanent home in the store where customers will be able to view the process during everyday use, or special events such as a community coffee tasting party.
‘Roasting always fascinated me,? Paul said. ‘While I was learning I kept upgrading my equipment to get better results, take it to the next level.?
So while a cup of fresh-roasted coffee is always available at Java Flix, local bakeries keep the pastry case at the shop stocked full of fresh bagels and muffins (the pumpkin muffins are absolutely scrumptious) to enjoy with the joe. The Pardales are also planning to offer a selection of sandwiches in the near future.
‘A lot of our customers are regulars who come in every day or every couple of days,? said Melissa, who grew up in the Clarkston area. ‘We’re talking to people, getting to know them. It’s been a lot of fun.?
The shop’s spacious floor plan features several groupings of deep, comfortable leather chairs, as well as tables and coffee bar seating.
Free wireless Internet access is available for those with the capability, or customers can make use of an on-site desktop computer.
In addition to making its coffees available for sale to brew at home, the shop also offers fundraising merchandise, and is currently involved with five area schools. Students have the opportunity to sell a Coffee-of-the-Month Club, as well as to profit from individual, one-time product sales.
So while the name ‘Java Flix? and the accompanying Hollywood motif may eventually change, the passion for coffee remains the same
‘We always wanted out own retail spot,? said Melissa, ‘where we could feature our own coffee and share what we know.?
Java Flix is located at 7046 Gateway Park in Gateway Plaza on the corner of Andersonville and White Lake Road. Call them at 248- 922-9557.