Rise Up Coffee Roasters Opens In Severna Park

Something new is brewing in Severna Park. This month, the popular Maryland-based chain Rise Up Coffee Roasters is opening its 13th café along Route 2 South, adjacent to Homestead Gardens. Rise Up plans to open its doors the week of February 21 barring any delays with final inspections.

The 2,300-square-foot coffee shop is Rise Up’s largest location west of the Chesapeake Bay and the first on this side of the bridge to serve customers through a drive-thru. Brandon Bartlett, who operates all five Annapolis-area Rise Ups with his wife, Caite, shared that the new Severna Park café will offer the same food and beverage menus as nearby locations.

Customers can enjoy a robust selection of espresso beverages, teas, drip coffees, cold brew, kid-friendly options and Rise Up’s signature original coffee smoothies. Drinks can be paired with pastries – including fresh Carlson’s donuts – or made-to-order food items ranging from hearty breakfast sandwiches to vegan- and vegetarian-friendly burritos to avocado toast.

For local residents looking to gather with friends or set up shop for teleworking, the Severna Park Rise Up will offer plenty of seating inside and outdoors, where Bartlett said he plans to add a large patio this spring.

Rise Up Coffee, an independent small-batch coffee roaster and retailer, is an “Eastern Shore original” with humble beginnings. It opened in 2005 as a drive-up coffee stand in St. Michaels, serving a town with a population of just over 1,000. Over the years, Rise Up has opened cafés across Delmarva in Cambridge, Salisbury, West Ocean City, Rehoboth Beach and other locales. Its signature organic coffees are roasted in Easton and can be purchased whole-bean or in coffee pods at local grocery stores.

Rise Up’s simple mantra illustrates that the company places as much value on its people as it does its coffee: “Grown by friends. Roasted by friends. Enjoyed by friends.” Through fair trade practices, Rise Up helps provide coffee growers with a more dignified existence. The Bartletts’ business philosophy is to “deliver the highest quality products, served by the highest quality people.” Those people – baristas, kitchen staff, managers and others – work together to create a welcoming atmosphere and serve consistently good coffee.

Bartlett, who grew up playing football against the Green Hornets and has childhood friends in Severna Park, said that Rise Up is looking forward to serving the Severna Park community and giving back as opportunities arise. The company regularly donates to nonprofits, schools, sports groups, the arts and other organizations. Each year, Rise Up honors moms with free drinks on Mother’s Day and those who have served the United States with complimentary beverages on Veteran’s Day. First responders in uniform drink free every day.

“The high school is close that we can support; there are a lot of great sports in the area – I feel like being involved in the community is going to be an easy thing for us to do,” Bartlett said.

In early February, a team of tradespeople were busy putting the finishing touches on the Severna Park Rise Up. As with other Rise Up cafés, a local artist was tapped to hand-paint a custom mural of coffee plants and Rise Up logos on the walls. High ceilings, live-edge wood counters and a connecting entrance from Homestead Gardens round out the space.

Rise Up’s “Western Shore” locations include Downtown Annapolis, Edgewater, Parole, Arnold and now, Severna Park. The new location will be open seven days a week from 6:00am to 7:00pm; the Mad Eggs kitchen will serve made-to-order food from 6:00am to 3:00pm each day. Grab-and-go sandwiches, pastries and the full drink menu will be available through the drive-thru. Online orders can be placed on the Rise Up website.

To learn more about Rise Up Coffee Roasters, or to apply for employment at the new Severna Park location, go to www.riseupcoffee.com.