Autumn Coffee Roasting’s owner, Andrew Hume, was at his flagship location in Northeast Portland on Saturday morning when his phone began to ring constantly. He picked it up reluctantly, something he typically does not do in front of customers.
Hume remarked, “I hope this is an emergency.”
There was an urgent situation. His Gresham cafe had a vehicle inside of it.
Outside the coffee shop, which is located close to the intersection of Northeast 2nd and Kelly avenues, a Ford F-150 and a Ford Ranger collided shortly after 10 a.m. The F-150 then mounted the curb and collided with the storefront of the coffee shop after the driver accidentally hit the throttle pedal rather than the brake.
I ask, “Is everyone okay?” as my first question. Was anyone critically injured? Hume recalls speaking with an employee over the phone. The response that was given was no, which is amazing given that the cafe was brand-new and extremely crowded.
Before leaving for Gresham, Hume hung up the phone and made an effort to maintain order in the crowded Portland coffee shop.
Hume claims that the damage at his second cafe seems to be minimal. The automobile just missed any customers sat inside the Gresham coffee shop as it collided into the counter, door, and glass.
Autumn Coffee Roasting in Gresham suffered damage following a Saturday morning vehicle accident. Thanks to Andrew Hume for the photo.Roasting Coffee in the Fall
According to Hume, “I think we’re really fortunate that the angle at which that vehicle entered the building was absolutely perfect for everybody involved.”
Only a few hours after the collision, contractors were on the scene, and a door was already on its way, demonstrating the promptness of the response. Hume expects the business to reopen in a month or two.
As a result of the tremendous support the Portland business has gotten, sales on Sunday nearly doubled their typical levels. Hume’s top priority is to find his workers jobs.
Even if we have too many employees, I’ll find them something to do, Hume replied.
Hume is maintaining an optimistic attitude in the interim: “Autumn will continue,” he stated. Everything will work out well.
A friend of Hume has set up a GoFundMe to help the workers in the interim.
Chiara Profenna discusses faith, religion, and cultural ties. You may contact her at [email protected] or @chiaraprofenna, or 503-221-4327.
