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here, so I don't feel like I have to go anywhere else." "Here," of course, is a semi-unlikely flyover state, which might serve as a reminder to coffee professionals everywhere that (a) everybody loves good coffee, and, (b) if you build it, they will come. "After a couple of years, we wanted to change our concept, we want- ed to do pourovers, we wanted to push for people to branch out and try something different," she says. "We wanted our regulars to be interest- ed in trying something else. That's when I got on board and thought, 'Yeah, we can do this.' I just hoped and prayed that people would accept that, because it's our business, and it's what keeps our family afloat." Not only did they accept it, but the community has rallied behind Onyx at every turn, helping the Allens develop their wholesale busi- ness, growing their retail presence enough to nourish a third store, and even pushing the couple to competition: Andrea took second place in the 2015 South Central Barista Competition, Onyx barista trainer Dylan Siemens competed in the most recent Latte Art Championship, and the company took home a Good Food Award for Andrea's competi- tion coffee, a Gesha natural from Guatemala called Julio's El Zapote. While competition is important to Andrea and her team, she realizes that it's not so much the actual winning as the perception of winning that counts. "No one here has ever heard of a barista competition, so most people think I won the whole thing, which is really hilarious," she laughs. "For me personally, competing has been really great because it's pushed me to get better at what I do." From that push comes the understanding that very few people ever get the chance to experience a competition-level coffee, but creating a competition-quality atmosphere in a café can be just as good. "I've realized people's perception of what they're trying is almost as important as what they're trying," Andrea continues. "You could have the nicest Gesha you could buy, put it in a little craft bag with marker on the label, and someone might be like, 'Oh yeah, this stuff 's pretty Apply at www.coffeefest.com October 23-25, 2015 Oregon Convention Center 1st: $2,000; 2nd: $1,000; 3rd: $500 Application Deadline is September 13, 2015 to compete in PORTLAND 68 barista magazine