Meet Cassandra Barr | Coffee Roaster & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cassandra Barr and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cassandra, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’ve been in the coffee industry for over 15 years, something that started out as a passion for creativity that naturally led to a passion for coffee and coffee culture. Art and coffee exist in this symbiotic space together, and once you visit enough art and coffee spaces-be they galleries or cafes-you can’t help but be inspired and want to try your hand at putting your own personal spin on it. Our business story is the story of coffee and art intertwined, as we could not have progressed in either area without the other. Through the art community, I discovered my love of coffee. Through the coffee community, I found perpetual inspiration for art.

As a neurodivergent person, socializing is not something that comes natural to me. Art and coffee are great social buffers for those for which expression doesn’t always happen organically. This has made me very passionate about holding space for other creative folks who might not always feel like they belong.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Colibri & Renard Coffee has been in business for almost two years selling roasted whole bean coffee, loose leaf teas, our own DIY prints, and art sourced from fellow independent artists who don’t always have an easy time getting access to public spaces. We use all compostable and recycled packaging and design all our labels, graphics, and other marketing and art assets in-house.

As a late diagnosed AuDHD person whose neurodivergence was discovered later in life, it took a long time to find my place in the world, but when I finally found it, it was total euphoria. Now as a business, we want to create opportunities for others like us to do the same; whether it be through elevating our fellow creatives, holding space for our fellow autism/ADHDers, or refining the palates of casual coffee drinkers; always from a place of enthusiasm instead of ego.

A major source of pride currently is that after almost two decades of sweat equity working in the coffee industry, we are finally doing something I had never thought possible even a year ago: moving into a brick and mortar coffee shop! I’m proud that after all this time I have the chance to do so, and I’m proud of all the work and learning that got me here.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in east Mesa, right up against the edge of the desert, so hiking is always a big one. We’re really close to Usery Mountain Regional Park and Brown Mountain, so we always try to bring our visiting friends up to see the views at the top. Strolling through the downtown area in Mesa and visiting the Mesa Arts Center is always a treat, and all the little shops along Mill Avenue in Tempe are always a good time. For coffee, when I’m not making it at home, I like to visit Jarrod’s Coffee, The Nile, and Cartel Coffee Lab. For little treats and baked goods, I am absolutely obsessed with Elysian Fields, a gorgeous little bakery near my house.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Honestly, so many people, but for the sake of brevity I’d have to shout out my sister, Ellie Devereaux. We’ve been doing just about everything alongside each other since we were kids, and now she runs her own tattoo shop in our hometown; though she also spent years as a coffee professional and is the perfect sounding board for all of my creative tinkering. We’re always sending each other our ideas and getting tips on how to make them even better, and there’s never any friction in our constructive criticism with each other. It’s extremely refreshing to have someone who will give it to you straight but also knows exactly what you go through as a self-critical art weirdo.

Another person I have to shout out is my husband Eric Barr. Since I started my business he has been my biggest hype man and moral support. Any time I feel disheartened, any time I deal with impostor syndrome, any time I doubt my capabilities or struggle with wrapping my mind around something, he has been there to remind me that it’s okay to be proud of yourself, it’s okay to dream about the future, and that the things I need are already out there; I just need to ask the right questions.

Website: www.colibriandrenard.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/colibri.and.renard

Facebook: www.facebook.com/colibri.and.renard

Other: IndieGoGo link to our fundraiser for our brick and mortar in Mesa: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-coffee-house-for-colibri-renard

Image Credits
Cassandra Barr