As its namesake season reached its colorful and gusty peak in October, Gresham, Oregon-based Autumn Coffee Roasting opened its second coffee shop.

The roasting company opened its first brick-and-mortar cafe in Portland’s Concordia neighborhood last year, while the second shop brings things closer to home, adjacent to an apartment building lobby and across from the downtown Gresham Arts Plaza.

With durable, inviting furniture and an open flow, the coffee shop envelops guests in a warm color palette befitting Autumn’s name, while artwork on the walls, locally sourced wooden features and tile finishes reinforce the senses of season and place.

“Compared to our Concordia location, the Gresham cafe maintains core brand elements like clean lines and natural textures, but introduces unique touches that honor its community roots,” Autumn Coffee Founder Andrew Hume told Daily Coffee News. “Art from local creatives and a slightly brighter color palette mirror the Arts Plaza vibe.”

A born and raised Greshamite, Hume founded Autumn Coffee in 2017, selling at local markets, and later expanded with a mobile truck in 2021. The Portland flagship opened in November 2023. Hume’s coffee career follows nearly two decades in the automotive industry.

“I learned the art of repair, but more importantly how to care for customers and their needs,” said Hume, who eventually worked his way up to the title of field technical specialist for Toyota Motors North America. “The shift to coffee came from a desire to build something meaningful — a space where people could come together over compelling coffee and shared experiences.”

Inside the Autumn coffee shops, the feeling of autumnal nostalgia is reinforced through the freshly baked goods that come from the owner’s mother, Karen Hume.

“Before this, she wasn’t a professional baker, but had a lifelong passion for baking, often making treats that defined my childhood,” Hume said. “Some of her recipes, like homemade cinnamon rolls or shortbread cookies, have found their way onto our menu.”

In the approximately 950-square-foot Gresham cafe, the coffee drinks served alongside wholesome baked goods are prepared on a 3-group La Marzocco KB90 ABR paired with Mazzer Robur S grinders and Puqpress auto tampers.

Hume roasts all Autumn coffees on a vintage 12-kilo Probat roaster that he believes to be approaching a century in age.

“It’s been extensively modified to include modern controls for airflow, drum speed, and temperature, blending the charm and resilience of vintage craftsmanship with today’s precision,” said Hume. “This machine embodies my background in mechanical repair and love of keeping old machines alive. It’s crazy what a little maintenance and love can do.”

In sourcing greens, Hume looks for compelling character in the cup, reflecting terroir and post-harvest processing methods, while also showing potential to please a wide audience. The roaster routinely turns to importers Shared Source, Onyx Coffee, Cuatro Vientos and Genuine Origin.

“The importers we have partnered with are the real heroes for us,” said Hume. “Keeping this list short and keeping those relationships close give us the confidence to know the coffees we have in our roaster [are of] great quality, produced by good folks and handled well from start to finish.”

Looking towards the solstices and equinoxes ahead, Autumn’s plan is to continue refining operations at both cafes and explore new ways to connect with the surrounding communities while ramping up in the roastery.

“For us, it’s always about growth that aligns with our values — delivering compelling coffee and meaningful experiences,” said Hume. “I grew up in Gresham, and it’s been deeply rewarding to bring this cafe to the community that shaped me.”