When Bob first bought a roaster and opened the cafe in downtown Montpelier, good Vermont coffee was hard to find. While Capitol Grounds Cafe has been a steadfast and diligent fixture in Montpelier for years, the coffee we roast has been traveling far and wide. In March of 2017, we rebranded our beans to: 802 Coffee. Since 1998. Same great coffee, from the same real people. We realized that many of our customers have never been to Montpelier and using the 'Capitol Grounds' name might not mean much to them, so we felt it was time to have a name that reflects our roots more clearly to the people drinking our coffee. It's easy to spot a bag of 802 Coffee in many stores and cafes up and down Vermont and we’re proud to continue our tradition of roasting daily from the heart of Vermont.

In January of 2020, Julia Watson, Bob's eldest daughter, took over the ownership role and joined the 802 Coffee team. Her enthusiasm and passion for what her father built brings an even more exciting time for us here at 802 Coffee. With our dedicated staff, we hope to continue to thrive as 802 Coffee hits an even bigger stepping stone in the company's history. We're the same group of devoted individuals working tirelessly (and well-fueled with caffeine) to bring you the very best coffee from around the world. The name may have changed but our commitment hasn't, and neither has our coffee.

In July of 2023, Vermont experienced some of the most devastating flooding in the states history. Listen to our (Capitol Grounds) July 2023 Flood story here… Bordertown Podcast. We are reopened, and are forever grateful for the community, the volunteers, and everyone who showed up to support our downtown!!!

As our roasting operation has matured we’ve developed relationships with farmers and importers that has opened our access to some of the finest coffees from around world. It’s an exciting time and we are serious about sharing our coffees with more great people. Visit the 802 Coffee web page to learn more about our coffee expeditions!