Breezeway Coffee Roasters - Partner Highlight
Breezeway Roasters is a Virginia Beach-based coffee roaster and café with roots going back over 15 years. What began as one family's vision for a neighborhood coffee shop has grown into a full roasting operation, a wholesale program, and a mobile coffee presence. We sat down with co-owner Rowman Basham to hear their story and learn how Dripos fits into how they run the business.
Origin Story
Breezeway's story starts with a brother's dream. In 2010, Rowman's brother Roark opened Cafe Moka in Virginia Beach , a local shop built on nearly nine years of experience at Starbucks. The idea was simple: take that industry knowledge and create something more personal, more community-rooted. Over time, Cafe Moka evolved. The team began roasting their own coffee, launched a mobile coffee trailer and cart, and eventually became the Breezeway Roasters operation it is today.
Now, Rowman's wife Kimberly manages a staff of ten baristas, and the family-run feel that started with a single café remains central to who they are.
A Wholesale Program Built Around Partner Success
One of the things that sets Breezeway apart is how seriously they take their wholesale partners. Their program isn't just about selling coffee, it's a guided process from start to finish.
"The entire focus of our wholesale program is to ensure that our partners are successful," said Basham.
That process starts with menu development and recipe creation. Breezeway helps partners identify where to source every ingredient they'll need, including their coffees and teas, and makes equipment recommendations based on the menu that's been built. Once a shop is close to opening, the team comes onsite to train a broader group on everything from bar technique to opening and closing procedures. They also offer in-depth training at their roastery, typically for owners and managers, and provide consulting on inventory management, COGS, and pricing strategy.
It's a level of support that reflects a simple belief: if the partner succeeds, everyone wins.
Where Dripos Comes In
Before Dripos, Breezeway was managing their business across multiple tools. Dripos brought those pieces together into a single platform, and when something does come up, the support team is there.
"The best part of working with Dripos is the support that we receive. The support team is always very responsive during the rare times that we have an issue."
For an operation that spans a roastery, a café, a mobile unit, and a wholesale business, having reliable software and a responsive team behind it makes a real difference.
15 Years of Learning to Adapt
When asked what he'd tell himself at the very beginning, Rowman's answer was candid: be prepared for change.
"Over 15+ years, we've endured lots of change. From customer preference changes , the shift to more cold drinks , living through the impact of COVID on sales, to the introduction of online ordering and delivery services, we've had to learn to be flexible."
That flexibility, built over a decade and a half, is part of what makes Breezeway Roasters such a strong partner for the coffee shops and businesses they work with. They've been through it, and they're ready to help others navigate it too.
Oh, and if you're wondering, Rowman's go-to order is a cortado.
