When walking through the doors of Revolver, one feels more like they have entered Sherlock Holmes’ Victorian-era laboratory than a Gastown coffee shop. And while general manager George Giannakos may not be a scientist, the way in which he approaches his coffee-brewing craft is equally precise. The menu features a variety of made-to-order, single-origin coffees from all over the world, with different types of beans roasted in various fashions. The result is a range of distinctive flavours that has turned Revolver Coffee into a neighbourhood institution.
“We have been in the industry for a long time,” Giannakos said. “You get to know a lot of the roasters and the profiles that you are going to like… A lot of it is just sampling.”
For Giannakos, coffee is a family affair.
His parents owned he Daily Roast in Sechelt in the 1990s before selling the business and opening up Crema Coffee, which still operates in North Vancouver. Revolver, which opened its doors in 2011, is jointly-owned with Giannakos’ parents and three brothers.
“We are all in it together,” he said. “We were able to hit the ground running.”
The name Revolver is appropriate for Giannakos’ establishment.
Not only is it an evocative almost-palindrome that looks good on a sign, but he said that it adheres to one of the philosophies of the business.
“It really plays to one of our main ethos, which is to be rotating and revolving the roasters that we use,” he said. “You can choose one thing one day and the next day it might be different.”
Giannakos attributes Revolvers success to a strong focus on what they know best: coffee. Trends can change quickly, he said, but as long as he and his family are committed to producing a quality product in a comfortable environment, he believes the business will remain successful for years to come.
“We are very focused,” he said. “We do this one thing and we do it well.”
• 325 Cambie St. | 604-558-4444 | RevolverCoffee.ca