Company Coffee aims to be a place to gather, socialize

Rich Palzewic

Staff

June 2, 2025

SUAMICO – Having established Station 1 Brewing Company in 2021 in Suamico’s Vickery Village, Co-owner Pete App said it was time to brew another option for area patrons.

Thus, he said, Company Coffee was born.

App said the new coffee shop will be housed within the walls of Station 1 at 1745 Riverside Drive.

“I’d estimate talks about opening a coffee shop go back at least a couple of years,” he said. “We have a great and unique spot, and our vision is to connect people.”

Adding a coffee shop, App said, furthers that vision.

“We’re proud to have called this place home as a brewery for the past four years, and we’re excited to serve people in a new way,” he said.

App said he and the ownership group initially wanted to establish the brewery before diving into other endeavors.

“Our fourth anniversary is coming up in August, so we all felt now the time was right,” he said.

Even though they didn’t move on the coffee shop idea right away, App said “we talked about it internally.”

“We also did some research to see if the area would be a good fit for something like this,” he said. “Eventually, we thought we could give it a go.”

More serious talks and a firm plan, App said, were put in place within the past year.

“It’s not something where you can just wake up one day and decide to start a new business, or in this case, add a coffee shop,” he said. “It takes a lot of planning for an idea to germinate and come to fruition – especially when it’s an investment. It’s another investment for the ownership team, but everyone is behind it.”

App, who grew up in the Chicago area but has lived in Northeast Wisconsin for about 35 years, said Vickery Village is the “perfect location” to run a business.

“It’s a nice area with nice people,” he said. “Vickery Village is a wonderful place. It obviously goes back many years, but more specifically, in the last eight to 10 years, there has been a lot of development from what it had been. We’re excited to be a part of the downtown – it’s a historic location. We’re trying to create moments that matter.”

The old fire station, which houses the brewery and the soon-to-be coffee shop, App said, was built in 1952.

“With all the businesses and things to do, I always hear people commenting about how they really don’t have to leave the downtown area,” he said.

According to the village’s website (vickeryvillagewi.com), Vickery Village was established in 1972 and offers a blend of community events, shopping, dining and recreational experiences.

Throughout the year, Vickery Village also hosts seasonal community events.

Beyond celebrations, Vickery Village is home to a variety of local businesses, including boutiques, eateries and specialty shops.

More than coffee

With a plethora of coffee shops in the Greater Green Bay area, App said it was important for him and the ownership group to focus on their goal in starting Company Coffee.

“With Company Coffee, we are focusing not only on the coffee but the gathering spot, too,” he said. “Right across the street from us, you can find Spork – they have fantastic food, a great spot and the catering piece.”

Though similar in nature to Spork, App said “we’re also different.”

“We can offer maybe what they can’t, and that’s a spot where people can linger a bit longer and drink their coffee,” he said. “They can also offer things that maybe we can’t.”

Just as there are “great” breweries in the area, App said the same can be said for coffee shops.

“But, locally in this neighborhood and with a specific vision to sit and gather, drink coffee and socialize for a while, there’s really nothing that truly meets that (need) in the area,” he said. “We’re kind of north of the traditional cafes you’ll find in the Green Bay area.”

App said in the end, you truly don’t know how a new endeavor will go until you “dive into it.”

“Will people respond to the vision you’re trying to accomplish?” he asked. “We’re trying to meet a need we think is here, but yes, ultimately, we won’t know until we’re open and settled in.”

Regarding an opening date, App said it will be soon.

“We’re shooting for an early summer opening,” he said. “We’d love for it to be sooner, but that’s what we’re looking at for now.”

App said the coffee of choice featured at the shop will be Stone Creek Coffee out of Milwaukee.

“We’ll have a full coffee bar, espressos, drinks, smoothies, etc.,” he said. “We’ll also have a few pastries and some sandwiches. We’ll launch with that basic menu and see where it goes.”

App said “obviously,” coffee shop hours are different from brewery hours – with Company Coffee planned to be open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

“That will overlap with brewery hours a bit on the weekends,” he said. “Both the coffee shop and brewery will be/are closed on Monday. That’s a great opportunity to clean, do projects and restock.”

App said ownership already has a team in place to work at Company Coffee.

“We’re excited about what we have,” he said.

Company Coffee space

Before renovations commenced in the area that will house Company Coffee, App said it was a “dead space.”

He said it was basically the end of the bar and had a few chairs situated around it.  

“We established where we wanted it and then revamped the area to make it more usable,” he said. “The electrical and plumbing work is going in now, and then we’ll put the equipment in. There is also some finishing work to complete around the bar, but the meat of the project is finishing the electrical and plumbing.”

App said adding Company Coffee helps with the vibe the ownership group set out to create almost four years ago with Station 1.

“We don’t have TVs, and we encourage people to sit outside by the fire pits and socialize,” he said.

Additionally, App said a tap will be reserved in the Station 1 taproom for a Company Coffee cold brew.

For more information on Company Coffee, find it on Facebook.