When corporations work together they’re called conglomerates. When local businesses do something similar it’s called community. The latter of which is the case with the collaborative efforts behind Lineage’s latest venture, Lineage Coffee Shop, which opened in Scott’s Addition at the end of November.

Started in 2016 by Paul Hansbarger and Jessica Noe, after the couple met at Virginia Commonwealth University where they both studied art, the family business made a name for itself crafting handmade canvas and leather bags, accessories and candles in addition to their hawk-eyed curation of goods from fellow area makers.

At the tail end of their first decade in business, what started as a passion project has grown to include brick-and-mortar locations in Harrisonburg and Richmond’s Carytown, and now this new coffee venture in Scott’s Addition, which has been brewing since last year when the couple expanded its studio space by taking over the lease at the former Studio Two Three location.

Hansbarger notes that the seed for the coffee idea goes back to 2018, when the pair first met another pair of artisan partners, Phil Duntemann and Jill McMullan, whose Broad Porch Coffee Co. bar and roasting operation was across from Lineage’s first location in the Shops at Agora, a Harrisonburg market that houses an array of small boutique businesses. Hansbarger says the experience proved “that there was a cross-section of handmade retail goods and an appreciation for coffee, and that the two could coexist in one space.”

Seven years later, and 130 miles down the road to the southeast, Lineage and Broad Porch Coffee are together again. Although some Richmonders may already be acquainted with Broad Porch Coffee, whose beans are the house drip offered at Laura Lee’s restaurant in Forest Hill, Lineage is the first and only place to feature their wide array of roasts, including espresso, cold brew and other specialty drinks. Duntemann says that working with Lineage’s baristas on “dialing in the drinks and workflow” let him know how much they care about quality and consistency. “I can’t wait to see what they can do in this space,” he adds.

Much of the past year was spent making Lineage’s vision for the retail space a reality, working with Richmond’s Campfire & Co. to execute the interior design of the build out. “My dad and I built many of the shelves in the new space,” Hansbarger says. “Our wonderful friends helped with painting and setting things up.”

Lineage Coffee Shop is meant to offer a gathering place for the community that has supported and even participated in the couple’s success. “There’s a lot of great coffee in Richmond, including Scott’s Addition with Afterglow, Roastology and Blanchard’s nearby,” Hansbarger points out. “But we hope to find our niche, and our people here in the neighborhood that appreciate great coffee and thoughtful goods in a cozy and welcoming atmosphere.”

Museum District bakery, B-Side Bakehouse, is responsible for the initial selection of sweet and savory food offerings at Lineage Coffee Shop. B-Side’s Ben Safchuk notes that they’ve been given creative freedom so they plan to continue exploring new products and flavors “to delight customers and keep them on their toes.”

Also expect to find additional fare in the coming year from an expanding caste of local producers, the owners tell Style. In that spirit, Lineage will feature a rotating drip coffee from regional roasters including Charlottesville’s JBird Supply, Northern Virginia’s Lone Oak Coffee, Staunton’s Crucible and Virginia Beach’s Three Ships. “There’s no shortage of great coffee in Virginia right now, so I’m certain we’ll have no problem finding quality roasting partners to offer in our shop,” Hansbarger adds.

Style first teased Lineage’s large new space in 2024’s Fall Arts Preview. Now that its doors are open, Richmonders can look forward to exciting upcoming arts and craft events including hands-on workshops, pop-ups and special events.

Wasting no time, Lineage Coffee Shop is set to host a record fair this Sunday, Dec. 7 that will include selections from several large and local private collections, as well Richmond-based record labels Grave Mistake and Hansbarger’s own Persistent Vision. Another collaborative event with The Book Nook RVA social club has already sold out, but is likely to return next year.

Lineage Coffee Shop’s Holiday Record Fair will be held on Sunday, Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 3308 W. Clay St.