FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective opened The Collective Lab last month, an appointment-only equipment showroom and training center for coffee professionals. Located in Kansas City’s West Side neighborhood, the 1,000-square-foot facility shares a building with The Roasterie roasting headquarters. It serves cafe, restaurant, and hospitality operators who need to test gear and train staff in a flexible environment.
Flexible Hardware and Training
The space is clearly designed for maximum adaptability. Four mobile espresso carts configured at different price points can be moved around the room beneath water and electrical connections that descend from the ceiling. "Rather than fixed zones, it’s designed to be completely modular," FairWave Director of Education Taylor Murphy-Dyer told Daily Coffee News. "We can move any cart wherever we need it and connect only what we’re using." This flexibility lets the team reconfigure the room for whatever activity is happening. Equipment includes La Marzocco KB90 and Nuova Simonelli Appia espresso machines, as well as a range of grinders, automatic tampers, milk steamers, and more provided by GH Grinding & Brewing Solutions. An Eversys Cameo superautomatic espresso system and batch and cold brew equipment from Fetco round out the lineup, with water running through BWT filtration systems. Monin syrups and Pacific Barista Series milks are also provided. The layout supports cuppings, tastings, equipment demos, skill-building workshops, and social events for roasters, wholesale customers, and other coffee professionals.
Community Access and Growth
At the heart of the space is a mural inspired by the coffee farm ecosystem. "Natural tones mixed with vibrant color accents bring energy to the space, while warm wood and concrete elements create a comfortable, welcoming feel," FairWave Creative Director Brandon Wilson said. Through acquisitions and investments over the past six years, FairWave has grown to encompass 14 coffee, tea, and bakery brands, six roasteries, and approximately 45 cafes. Backed by private equity firm Great Range Capital, the group added North Carolina roaster-retailer Joe Van Gogh Coffee in February, the same month Justin Seamonds was named CEO. "From the start, the goal for this space was never just to showcase and sell equipment. It was to open the doors to the wider coffee community," Murphy-Dyer stated. The company reports free classes are in the works for Kansas City baristas. Accessible, low-barrier training is a passion of Murphy-Dyer’s, and she is excited to bring it to life here. The Collective Lab is open by appointment to wholesale customers and community members, with no fee to visit.
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