The Pasadena Rotary Club will host the owners of widely-enjoyed Jones Coffee Roasters, Mireya, Larry and Chuck Jones, on Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. at the University Club, 175 N. Oakland Ave. for an open-to-the-public meeting emceed by former Rotary President Diana Person-More.
The Joneses will share their story of how they built a successful coffee roasting business from the “grounds up.” They will also discuss their commitment to social responsibility and sustainability.
Mireya Francisca del Rosario Asturias was born on her family’s coffee farm in the highlands of Guatemala. Larry Jones, born in Ithaca, New York, met Mireya in 1956 in Berkeley, California, where their fathers taught at the university. Mireya and Larry shared a dream to bring coffee north from her birthplace to share with their friends and community.
Five children and 15 grandchildren later, Pasadena is home to Jones Coffee Roasters, a space for people to enjoy music, art and good conversation while drinking some of the best coffees from around the world.
It was their youngest son, Chuck, who in 1993 at the age of 23, helped make his parents’ dream a reality. Today he directs the vertically integrated business model from seed to cup.
Beyond their life in Pasadena, Mireya, as a member of the board of directors of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), established the first Barista Championship Committee in the U.S. and then Europe which built the concept of espresso-based drinks and cafes worldwide. She was also a founding member of the International Women in Coffee Alliance, promoting education and business alliances for women in coffee globally. Larry, now a retired urologist, often traveled to coffee conferences with Mireya and Chuck to speak about the issue of health and coffee. Chuck served as a judge for the U.S. Barista Championship and, together with his parents, was a regular contributor at international coffee conferences.
Today, the Joneses are celebrating 30 years of realizing their dream. They have built a small but mighty independent business roasting 20,000 pounds of coffee beans each month to supply six retail stores and more than 100 wholesale accounts.
The meeting is open to the public (free by Zoom and $40 for lunch in-person). To attend, RSVP to office@pasadenarotary.com or call (626) 795-1111. Zoom opens at 12:00 pm, meeting begins at 12:15 pm. To join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86515101523?pwd=dHhNZnV5c2ZqbzNQbWthbDNhYTladz09, Meeting ID: 865 1510 1523 Passcode: 667356
