One of the most fascinating questions you can ask a business owner is: What is the story behind your logo? At first glance, a logo might seem simple - a mark, a shape, or a name. But behind every great logo is a story, a process, and a purpose. It is one of my favorite questions to ask other business owners.

For many it can take weeks, months or more to refine, shape, and perfect the logo. Sometimes teams are hired and sometimes it can feel too personal to be left to anyone else. A great logo is the pursuit of balance between meaning and simplicity, between personal history and universal connection. It becomes a business's signature. For Tradition Coffee Roasters, it represents so much of what our team stands for: Connection, community and a deep respect for tradition. 

If you’re curious, it took me about a month to settle on a logo that I was happy with and that was with the help of hiring a designer through the platform, Upwork, who would be able to take my vision and create a digital design.

What inspired the three aspects of the Tradition logo was my experience at the firehouse and this laid the foundation for the vision that I wish to share with others: Tradition is more than just a name - it is a way of life. It’s a deep respect for both the past, the present, and our community around us. My tradition and yours may not be the same, just as no single tradition defines the collective. Tradition is as unique and diverse as the world itself. My hope is that, through our coffee, we can become a part of your tradition and create meaningful moments that connect us all. 

The kitchen table at the firehouse

For 21 years I served the people of New York as a fire fighter. It was a job that demanded skill, sacrifice, trust and selflessness. Firefighting is humbling. It pushes you past your limits. It requires you to rely on those beside you.

That said, the firehouse wasn’t just about the job - it was the firehouse kitchen table that was special. This is where we started and ended our tours. It is where we ate, it’s where we talked, listened, and learned from each other.

The fire

The first of three aspects of our logo is the symbol of fire. The flames represent my history within the fire department. Fires were one of the most challenging and exciting parts of being a firefighter. When fires occur, you are tested, it is when you are needed most and it's when you can sacrifice the most for others. The flames are for the past and where Tradition began.

In coffee, fire causes transformation. It's what takes a raw, green coffee bean and turns it into something rich, aromatic, complex and flavorful. Compounds are built, broken down, and built again. People and coffee are both forged by fire.

The flower

The second of three aspects of our logo are the petals of the fire flower.

The flower signifies the beauty of Hawai’i and my present life. It was born out of a mix between a Plumeria and the yellow Hibiscus. Its beauty contrasts the destructive nature of fire and is meant to provoke thought on who and where we are. It represents both the intensity of transformation and the delicate beauty of what follows.

The coffee bean

Within the fire flower you’ll see coffee beans woven into the design. Coffee has always been a force for bringing people together. Coffee can unify. It is what gets us seated at the same table sharing ideas, celebrating victories, talking and communicating. We need coffee, we need connection, and we need each other.

So the next time you see our logo I hope you see more than a design:

I hope you see Tradition,

I hope you see beauty,

I hope you see resilience,

I hope you see the past,

I hope you see the future,

I hope you see yourself and,

I hope you see others.