East Pole Coffee

East Pole Coffee Co. was founded in 2015 by Jared Karr and two friends, inspired by Karr's experience working with an NGO in Indonesia—a place he called "The East Pole"—where he first encountered coffee at origin. The company began roasting on a small five-pound U.S. Roaster Corps. machine out of a detached garage in Atlanta's Grant Park neighborhood, supplying local coffee shops and restaurants. A flagship roastery and coffee bar opened in 2017 in Armour Yards, followed by a second location in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood in 2022. East Pole sources coffee from producers in Honduras, Colombia, and Ethiopia, emphasizing long-term relationships and careful stewardship of the product from farm to cup. The roaster also maintains a wholesale channel supported by hands-on barista training for partner establishments. In its coffee bars, East Pole aims to make specialty coffee approachable and hospitable rather than intimidating, prioritizing table service and customer ease alongside quality.