For many years, Portland has been a hub for coffee culture. Meet four Portland State alumni who are finding unique ways to make their mark in this popular industry.
Alumni Hector and Rachel Rodrigues.
Cabana do Café
Cabana do Café is a Brazilian-inspired coffee shop that blends crafted drinks with family recipes. Founded by Hector Rodrigues ‘19 and Rachel Rodrigues ‘18, who met at PSU’s School of Business, the cafe pairs Hector’s passion for coffee and bold flavor combinations with Rachel’s baking talents and their shared Brazilian Pão de Queijo roots.
Visit Cabana do Café at the Hillsboro Downtown Station, 320 SE Baseline St., Hillsboro, OR 97123.
Founder Kim Dam. Photo Credit: Analy Photo LLC
Portland Cà Phê
Founded in 2020 by Kim Dam ‘22, Portland Cà Phê Roasters specializes in beans from Vietnam’s Central Highlands. At the time, no one in Portland was roasting single-origin Vietnamese coffee, and Kim saw an opportunity to showcase both quality beans and her culture. After years as a barista while studying at PSU, she fulfilled her dream of opening Portland’s first Vietnamese specialty coffee house in 2021.
Visit Portland Cà Phê at 2815 SE Holgate Blvd. and 2601 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland.
Tim Howard at the Viking Made Pop-Up Market on campus.
Blind Coffee Roasters
Holly Howard ’16 and Tim Howard launched Blind Coffee Roasters in 2012 after Tim’s years in the coffee industry and his experiments with home roasting. The name reflects Tim’s experience with vision loss due to Type 1 diabetes, emphasizing how coffee is best appreciated through taste and smell. The roastery is known for award-winning coffee, a sense of humor and community giving—donating $5 per pound of select blends to charities.
Visit the Blind Coffee Roasters café and tasting lab at 2038 NE Aloclek Dr., Ste. 219, Hillsboro, OR 97124, or shop online.
Beans to Phin founders. From left to right: Eliza Le, Emily Nguyen, Lily Le.
Beans to Phin
Beans to Phin is a family-run Vietnamese coffee pop-up founded by Emily Nguyen ’21, Eliza Le and Lily Le. Inspired by Emily’s early passion for coffee and entrepreneurship, the trio launched their first event during the Vietnamese New Year. Their mission is to create a welcoming “third space” that fosters connection while honoring their heritage through traditional brewing methods.
Visit the Beans to Phin website to find their next pop-up location.