Seattle’s Pier Coffee Owner Sells Minority Share, Plans Operational Expansion

Photo courtesy of Pier Coffee

Citing increased demand and product growth, Erin Williamson has sold a minority share interest of her cold brew coffee company, Pier Coffee, which now becomes Pier Coffee LLC. Williamson, who formerly owned the Burien Press (Wash.) coffee shop, launched Pier Coffee as a nano cold brewery in 2012, developing a flagship cold concentrate.

With the deal, the new principal owners of Pier Coffee are Joe Traverso, former COO and president of WW Metal Fabrication in Portland, Ore., and Will Logan, owner and senior broker at Kimbal Logan Real Estate in Vancouver, Wash.

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“It feels great, and I think it was time,” says Williamson, who is retaining a majority share in Pier Coffee. “By adding business development expertise, sales acumen, and an infusion of capital, Pier Coffee is in position to take a major step forward. I am grateful to be working with two partners who have such a passion for innovative business and speciality coffee.”

The new leadership group plans to expand the Seattle-area Pier brewery space, increase sales scope and marketing efforts, and increase research and development. The company currently offers a ready-to-drink cold brew in addition to the concentrate, but more products may be in the works.

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“After meeting with Erin on several occasions and understanding her long term vision for the company, it became clear that this was an opportunity to be part of something special,” says Traverso. “We look forward to expanding the scope and scale of the business.”