LIVE: Brands, Businesses + Entrepreneurs | #17 | Pegasus Coffee Company
Kitsap is full of incredible brands, businesses and entrepreneurs who make shopping for unique items in Kitsap a fun adventure.
About Matt
What was your first job?
“The first activity in life I was paid to do was picking berries at a berry farm one summer when I was 15.
The following year, a friend and I started a local DJ-ing business, which kept us busy through the end of high school. I guess my entrepreneurial spirit was evident from a pretty early age.”
Where do you draw inspiration/creativity in your life?
“I’ve answered this question the same way for many years now – I’m inspired by great leaders, great books, and great coffee.”
About Pegasus Coffee
How did the idea of starting Pegasus Coffee begin?
“I realized I was an entrepreneur-in-waiting in my mid-20s. By my late 20s, I had decided I would someday start down my entrepreneurial path by acquiring a small and established business rather than starting something from scratch. A decade passed before all the stars aligned and the right opportunity came along, and at age 37, I acquired Pegasus Coffee Company.
But that’s my story, not the fascinating story of Pegasus Coffee.”
The History of Pegasus
The Pegasus story begins with David Dessinger teaching himself to roast coffee on his boat in Eagle Harbor in the late 1970s. He had been turned on to specialty coffee at (Alfred) Peet’s Coffee in Berkeley, CA in the late 60s (not knowing that, some 15 years later, Peet would become his mentor in the coffee business).
After moving to Bainbridge, Dessinger resolved through trial and error to re-create the flavorful coffee he had grown to love back in Berkeley. And once he figured out how to do it, he started roasting coffee commercially at Winslow Wharf in 1979 under the name Pegasus. Then, about 6 months later, in May 1980, he opened the original Pegasus Coffee House on Parfitt Way.
And if that wasn’t enough, being the true coffee pioneer that he was, Dessinger also opened the first specialty coffee bar in downtown Seattle in 1983, several years before Starbucks opened one of its own.
This special history and legacy of Pegasus Coffee is one of the reasons I became interested in purchasing the business, which I did in November 2019 – just in time to celebrate its 40th birthday. Not many companies manage to survive 40 years, so I’m incredibly proud to carry and steward the Pegasus Coffee mantle into the next chapter in its history.
The Genesis
Tell us the story of how Pegasus Coffee came to fruition.
“When I first learned about Pegasus in 2017, the owner of the business was not looking to sell. But I had been passionate about coffee and the coffee business for many years, and the Pegasus legacy was too unique to let pass me by. So I stayed in regular contact with the owner for well over a year until he finally agreed to sell me the business. That was in July of 2019, and by October 31, 2019, the deal had closed.”
Tell us what/who drives you to keep working hard towards your goals.
“I’m a dreamer and a creator at heart. Every day I imagine what could be, and the visions of great possibility in my mind motivate me to take the practical steps needed to bring them to life, to make them a reality.”
Love Kitsap
Tell us your fave local drink spot - coffee, tea, wine, tequila, whatever!
“Highside Distilling. They make the best gin and amaro I’ve ever had. Plus, the cocktails are delicious. I’m probably partial, but I especially recommend the one made with Pegasus cold brew!”
Tell us your fave local spot for a comfort meal - what do you always order?
“The Poutine with bacon at the Harbor Pub or the Prime Rib and Cheddar sandwich at Doc’s are two of my go-to’s for highly satisfying, no pretense food.”
Live Kitsap
Out of town guests are coming for the weekend. What is the most important thing you share with them about Kitsap? Where do you absolutely have to take them?
“When folks come to visit, I hope they take away what I love about Kitsap -- the intersection of natural beauty and culture. In Kitsap, stunning landscapes, mountains, and water views exist side-by-side with great food, drinks, and culture. The more time I’ve spent here, the more convinced I am that Kitsap is better understood as a lifestyle than a region. One of our aspirations at Pegasus is to accurately reflect and to make a meaningful contribution to the Kitsap way of life.”
Photo by @parkerandtruman
Thrive in Kitsap
Where are your favorite place(s) to get outside? What do you do when you go?
“There are so many wonderful options nearby, it is difficult to choose! Sometimes driving the “long way” to get where I need to go each day is an opportunity to soak in the natural beauty that is all around us in this very special part of the world.”
our connections + friendships with local brands, businesses + entrepreneurs is something that makes living in kitsap truly unique. You aren’t just supporting a business, you’re growing relationships.
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