MASSILLON – Andrew Keim stood at the rear of Pioneer Collective Coffee, a few feet in front of a top-of-the-line roaster being seasoned with coffee beans in order to achieve peak performance.
Holding a cup of single-origin, Ethiopian-blend java, his eyes were fixed on a customer who was receiving his order in the coffee shop.
The ambiance harkens to a bygone train station, with a distinguished black-and-gold color scheme, eye-catching chandeliers, grand piano and Amish-crafted, black leather benches.
While simultaneously holding an unrelated conversation with another coffee shop guest, Keim, a 30-year-old Dalton man who opened Pioneer Collective about three weeks ago, studied the interaction between employee and coffee drinker to ensure it met the high standards for which he's striving for.