Meet Chris Swed | Cafe Owner & Coffee Roaster

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chris Swed and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chris, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When we started Swed & Co. in 2017 it started as a small roasting operation in the back of the movie theatre that we run in downtown Fort Madison, IA. It was really more of a passion project turned small business. Our town had gone through quite a rough patch with a lot of businesses closing and loss of industry, so when we moved to town to reopen the theatre we could tell that there was quite a bit of potential to be realized here. In 2021 we decided to build out a brick and mortar location with the main goal being to create a space for the people in our town to come together and experience community. Good drinks, great food in an a space that invites you to come in and spend time together with friends and family.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My wife and I both work for our family business, movie theatres. Our family owns 8 small theatres throughout IL and IA. The small business mindset is something that my wife grew up with and I’ve been immersed in for a long time. It felt really natural for us to pursue something of our own upon moving to IA. I’ve always been proud of the small details that we laid as a foundation for our brand. Everything from our packaging to the events we host is about bringing our community together, connecting different people together that might not have otherwise met.

We often get comments from people saying when they walk through our doors they don’t feel like they’re in a small Iowan town anymore. And that takes me to a place that I’m very passionate. While I agree I think our cafe offers something that you typically only get in a big city, why do we let that define our small town. I’m passionate about coffee, but I’m also passionate about small towns, specifically Fort Madison. There is no reason that a cool place to get coffee shouldn’t be able to survive in a small town. People in small towns want unique experiences in their town. I’m often reminded of a very popular saying here in Iowa, “If you build it, they will come.”

I think this has definitely been our mindset throughout this whole process.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’d certainly take them to several of the small boutique restaurants in the town, and some unique places to get drinks in the evening. But our town really shines when you get outside and start exploring the beautiful stretch of land between the bluffs and the Mississippi River where Fort Madison sits. We’re home to the oldest state prison on the west side of the Mississippi, the largest double decker swing span bridge still in operation in the world, and we have some of the most beautiful city parks throughout our town. Fort Madison is currently going through a time of revitalization, the city is putting in a brand new marina, more and more of the downtown storefronts are being filled with different unique businesses, and people are starting to realize that our town has a lot of potential. Potential to increase the quality of life for it’s citizens and attract tourism here too our little corner of Iowa.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My wife certainly is a huge reason why we opened the cafe. Together her and I designed the space. Our families were also a huge support group as we ultimately did the entire build out process ourselves. From inside the industry I think a lot of our mindset behind what the purpose of a local cafe is largely inspired by the incredible work Chris Baca, Jared Truby, and Charles Jack have doing with their cafes in Santa Cruz, CA.

Website: Swedandco.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swedandcocoffee/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swedandcompany