The Story of Us

Cups of coffee with my Gran. Baby coffee is one part sweet cream and a spoon full of sugar. All grown up looks like Saturday mornings sipping and chatting with mom. Her coffee is the strongest cup on this side of the Mississippi. “Pour me up some of that black ass Joe.” Heads falling back with laughter and continued banter for an hour or two. That was our thing. Coffee brought us back to ourselves and to each other.

Now, no sugar, no cream. That black steamy liquid first thing or last thing. I love it and know when it’s right.

That’s why I started The Darker Bean. This shop is a labor of love, built from all those moments and the deep belief that our coffee should do more than just taste good.

Bold, hot, and honest—like how we talk, how we love, how we live.

Cream and sugar is okay too…we pour, and we don’t judge.

DRINK IT BLACK EVERYDAY

Three Levels of Impact

Hello! My name is DeAnna Shores, and I am founder of The Darker Bean.

It is important you know that every bag we offer meets three foundational standards: it’s specialty grade (scoring 80+ on the SCA scale), it’s straight-up delicious, and it uplifts the people who grow it — supporting dignity, fair practices, and community wellbeing at origin.

From my hands to yours, I am honored to share a cup with you.

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