Jay Rostov was the godfather of the go-juice in River City. In the mid seventies the Richmond based business owner hatched Carytown Coffee & Tea, a business legend that lives on today.

With the shop’s name changing in his honor after his passing, Rostov’s daughter, Tammy, continued the tradition and introduced java to a new generation of scenesters under the name Rostov’s. Today Tammy has emerged into River City’s next top caffeine peddling phenom, and she credits her success to her good ol’ Pop.

“He spotted me my first batch of tea,” Tammy laughs, recalling summer days plopped on the corner in front of the shop with a small tea stand of her own.
Though only in the seventh grade, she was equipped with a handful of business cards, reading “Ice Tea Girl,” and finally made enough loot to buy her first ten-speed bike.

Now a savvy business mind, Rostov was forced to make a tough move one year ago when she uprooted her coffee digs from the original and comfy Carytown locale.  With rents on the rise, Rostov looked slightly east, banking on the swelling popularity of a recently revamped corridor of Main Street in the Fan. Once she found the perfect spot, she plopped down some greens and bought the building.

Last month Rostov celebrated the shop’s one year anniversary in its new home base. Looking back, Rostov recalls thousands of maps and grassroots efforts to spread the word about the move, and admits, “It took a long time to build.”

However, the gamble paid off and the newest incarnation of Rostov’s Coffee & Tea is today housed in the old Trolley Station on West Main, a revitalized brick structure that now teems with condos, cafes and nearby art galleries.

Inside Rostov has brought along the famous old roaster that once sat in the front of the house in Carytown. Taking center stage inside the pale yellow walls of the new storefront, the very same roaster still collects scads of green coffee beans and cranks out a signature aroma that can linger for blocks. Surrounded by piles of burlap sacks brimming with additional flavors, the roaster and its crew haven’t missed a beat during the transition over the past year.

Even better, Rostov’s loyal fan base have followed suit. “I felt comfortable that our customers would come with us,” explains Rostov, pleased with the outcome. “This area is definitely viable, it’s definitely popping now.”

And by following Rostov to her new creation, caffeine fiends are treated to the likes of such java ops such as Bourbon Santos, a nutty blend from Brazil; Papua New Guinea, a Viennese roast, and the Mamma Zu espresso blend, the most kick ass of them all. Mixed in the fun, Rostov gives loose leaf tea equal billing, offering everything from the exotic Ping Suey to the popular Richmond Blend.

Like her former Carytown hot spot, Rostov is also offering a java kiosk inside the shop, with plenty of chances to sample the goods.
With her first year now under her felt in the new digs, Rostov concludes, “Best of all, I own it – that means I’m the man that I’m paying the rent to.”

http://www.rostovs.com

Way to go Tammy.  Love the new shop and you truly do have the best coffee in Richmond and surrounding areas.

You’ve come a long way from the Iced Tea Girl.

Thanks,

Vickie