Idego brings a unique coffee experience to town
Blacksburg, Va. - The new coffee shop provides Blacksburg coffee-lovers with an authentic flavor and urban atmosphere.
by Haven Lewis
Idego relocated from Christainsburg to downtown Blacksburg two months ago, providing residents with authentic, "Third Wave" coffee.
"They're all very unique coffees and you can taste the difference pretty easily," says Paul De Aaras, owner of Idego, about the coffees from Ethiopia and Kenya. "Exploring and understanding that is my take on the Third Wave."
Paul and his wife, Lesly, decided to leave their corporate jobs in Denver, CO, two years ago to open a coffee shop and raise a family in the New River Valley. Their goal was to provide people with high quality coffee, produced by skillfully roasted beans and expert baristas.
"Traditionally there are 4 or 5 things that are looked at to create the coffee. It's the beans, the roast, the equipment, and the barista," Paul says. "We try to do all of those better."
Idego has already generated a strong fan base over the past few years.
"Oh I love the place," says Brooke Kennedy, a Virginia Tech professor and avid coffee-drinker. "I'd say I come here at least 5 times a week."
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Blacksburg, VA., May 4 - The Sweetest: The "Sweet Latte" is one of the many drinks featured on Idego's menu. Topped with a foam design and served in a ceramic cup, the drink is both aesthetically pleasing and delicious.
Brooke and his partner, Anna Bieri, frequented Idego's previous location in Christiansburg. They were thrilled when Paul told them the coffeeshop was relocating to Blacksburg.
"I like this new space a lot. They have a lot of windows and the bar seating really makes it feel modern," says Anna about the new Blacksburg location."It's unlike other coffeeshops here - it feels a little bit urban."
Idego is now situated downtown beside Champs, facing the Market Square Park. The address is 119 N. Main Street #102.
Paul says that although running the shop is hard work, he and his wife love to share their passion for good coffee with their loyal customers.
"It's one of those things where once you've heard there's something better, you kind of want to go try it and then once you've had something better you kind of want to stick with that."