Pandemic Hobby Turned Business: Mass. Coffee Roaster Brews Connection

Paul “Del” Delmonico, a Massachusetts native, has transformed his coffee-drinking hobby into a small business. He owns Del’s Coffee Roasters, which is located off Felton Street in Waltham. Delmonico, who was raised in a coffee-drinking household, recalls the first cup of coffee that truly rocked his world. As he got older, he became picky about his coffee and started ordering Ethiopian coffee from a roaster in Utah. However, the pandemic hit, leaving him unemployed and unemployed.

To keep himself fueled, Delmonico experimented in his kitchen, roasting on a cast iron pan and Whirley Pop popcorn maker. He found delight in the pursuit and decided to make roasting his full-time gig. Just as he was putting plans in place for his roasting space in Waltham, the pandemic hit. Delmonico turned to social media to hawk his wares, and by April 2022, he had a ribbon cutting. This year, he’s on track to roast 10,000 pounds.

From his roasting space, neighboring businesses and visitors can smell the aroma of the crackling beans as they drop from the roaster. Delmonico also hosts tastings every Tuesday morning at 10 and regularly hosts classes on roasting through Hoamsey. Participants leave with a bag of coffee roasted during the class.

During the summer, Delmonico can be found at various farmer’s markets and performs annually at Porchfest, where he curates a special blend specifically for the event, the Porchfest Blend, with proceeds donated to the Somerville Homeless Coalition. His fair trade, organic coffee can also be found in local restaurants and cafes, used in ice creams and espresso martinis.

For Delmonico, coffee is love, and he’s fueling a way to share it with the whole community.

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