3 Questions with David Blanchard, Founder of Blanchard's Coffee

David Blanchard is passionate about good coffee and has been instrumental at bringing more of it to Richmond. Starting off in his dad's garage in 2005, word soon got out that David was roasting some of the best coffee around. Ukrop's Super Markets picked them up and they've been growing ever since. Today, Blanchard's roasts thoughtfully sourced coffees from around the world for brewers, retailers, and coffee enthusiasts throughout the U.S. We enjoyed a cup of their RVA blend during this week's 3 Questions.

If you weren't running a craft coffee business, what would you be doing?

Firefighter. No question. I power washed houses and decks in the summers during college, and I always thought being a free lance firefighter would be a good gig! We have had a few fires over the years in our coffee roasters, so those have scratched the itch for me.

What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?

Slow down. I was married at 22, had my first kid at 24, started Blanchard’s Coffee at 25, and built a house at 27. Getting married young and having kids early was one of the best decisions we ever made, though. It has always been a struggle for me to slow down. This year I made New Year’s resolution to sit in a chair everyday for 30 minutes and do nothing.