The newest coffee shop in Gresham is run by a pair of Los Angeles transplants who were drawn to the Pacific Northwest by its accepting culture and caffeine connoisseurs.
Try not to hold their Southern California roots against them, they asked with a laugh, as their goal is to build upon that foundation.
Christian Shishido and Melissa Flores opened Fire Cup Coffee, 710 N.E. Cleveland Ave., during a soft-launch period on Monday, July 20.
“We were excited about something slower, less competitive than what you find in LA,” Shishido said. “We were drawn to Oregon because it is collaboration over competition.”
“We didn’t want to wait any longer,” Flores said. “We looked at each other on Sunday and said, ‘Let’s open the doors tomorrow.’”
The café is formed upon a pair of pillars. Fire Cup Coffee wants to serve drinks and pastries that are crafted using locally-sourced ingredients, leaning on partnerships with businesses across the region. And it wants to be an accepting space where everyone belongs, united by a love of coffee.
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“Whether you’re covered in ink, carrying a board, fighting social anxiety, or just need a quiet corner and a strong latte — you belong here,” the couple said.
“We’ve heard from a lot of our customers that Gresham needed this kind of accepting atmosphere,” Shishido said. “Coffee shops should always be inclusive spaces.”
Despite still being in its infancy, those partnerships are already strong. The espresso is via Heart Coffee (they are also excited to partner with Autumn Coffee Roasting). All of the vanilla used in the drinks and pastries is from Black Market Vanilla (located in the same building as the café). And the chai is courtesy NEO Cafe, based at the Rockwood Market Hall.
The menu is still being developed at Fire Cup Coffee. The couple is seeking a matcha provider, and the cold brew is coming soon. But there are all the classic espresso offerings, as well as some signature drinks like the Black Market Vanilla Latte, which is a true showcase of the in-house flavoring. They also recently added Italian sodas by popular demand.
“We want this place to feel like a second home,” Flores said.
Fire Cup Coffee is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday; and 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday. Those hours could change after the grand opening, planned for mid-August.
Already they have regulars, despite the relative anonymity of the soft opening.
“We couldn’t be more thankful of everyone accepting us LA people — we were warned not to lead with that in Oregon,” Shishido said with a laugh.
“Everyone has been so supportive, it has been a really warm welcome,” Flores added.
Passion for Coffee
Both found their passion for the world of coffee in unique ways.
Shishido worked for two decades in the cannabis manufacturing industry, setting up about 50 laboratories across the country. For him the process is similar — “extracting” coffee from beans.
“I understood the science behind espresso and coffee,” he said.
He worked for four years at Starbucks as a barista. That provided a base knowledge he could follow. In Los Angeles is where Fire Cup officially debuted, as a coffee catering cart he would take to private events.
“We are both coffee connoisseurs,” Shishido said.
“I survive off of coffee,” Flores added with a laugh.
It was his cannabis connections that led to the move to Gresham. Shishido worked for nearly 17 years for a competitor of Subzero Scientific, which is based in the same building as the new café. When Shishido was looking for a change, the Subzero team invited him to see their vacant showcase room. That space would eventually become Fire Cup Coffee.
The couple visited to explore Portland and make sure it was a good fit. They then packed up a car and drove 18 hours to get here on June 1.
“We just decided to commit 100% to all of this,” Shishido said.
Flores used coffee shops to help break the isolation and loneliness of the pandemic. She was doing deliveries for a vegan donut shop in east Los Angeles, so she got to be friendly with lots of the cafes around town. During COVID that familiarity led her to do coffee shop reviews — visiting various locations to help promote them during difficult times and posting on social media.
That is how the couple met. Flores needed some help with videography and marketing, so they connected, over coffee of course.
The Baker and the Artist
The ownership couple of Fire Cup Coffee bring more of their personalities, and products, to the shop.
Shishido loves to bake, it is something he has done for years as a cottage craft out of his home. So the pastries and treats found at Fire Cup are all his creations. His cookies have been flying off the shelf, so popular he has already had to double the amount he bakes even during the soft opening. He also has other mouthwatering items on the horizon — ask about his keto-friendly cheesecakes that have people driving across Portland to try.
Flores is an artist. Her passion is for writing/poetry, so many of her pieces involve written words. Her work can be found adorning tote bags, coasters, mugs, key chains and other items at the café.
“My art leans toward traditional tattoo-style — there is a lot of words, nature, mental health, and other things that are important to me,” she said.
She is also excited about curating a small gallery at Fire Cup. She will display the work of a new, local artist quarterly.
Fire Cup Coffee
Where: 710 N.E. Cleveland Ave.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 8 a.m. to noon Sun.
Instagram: @firecup.coffee
