If you recall many months ago, the sale was announced. Roaster's Coffee would be absorbed by Oregon Black Rock Coffee Company. The sale was not without some controversy, especially over why it happened. The background.

This threw some people into a tizzy. We all, to some degree, have fierce loyalty to 'our' coffee brand. Whether it's just premium jet black java to the Revel energy fueled drinks, we love our blends.

The transition from Roasters to Black Rock is underway, and for a number of the popular stands, virtually completed. Black Rock was founded in Portland OR in 2008, and has over 60 stands, about 2 1/2 times the numbers of Roasters.

I stopped by the Roasters on Edison St. in Kennewick to grab a $2 white rocket for my wife on Wednesday 9-29, National Coffee Day. A lot of changes have happened.

WHAT'S CHANGED NOW AT FORMER ROASTERS LOCATIONS?

First, the signage. The paint crew at Edison said all the familiar brick red is going away. The familiar Roasters logo is gone, to me the Edison location has an industrial look. Gone is the 8-foot tall cool totem pole, and all the interior southwestern stuff my wife likes. You won't be able to 'look for'  the familiar red on the building. It's grey. In my humble opinion, kinda liked the way it looked before. But that's just me.

 

Townsquare media
Townsquare media
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The Menu.  Workers there said as for the actual drinks, their menus are nearly identical except the names are almost all different. The only leftover is the White Rocket and Horchata. Everything else is different. The very popular blended Snickers and Milky Way are now called 'truffles.'  Black Rock has printed up a 'transitional' menu so Roaster's fans can see what their favorites are under the new system.

 

Here's how to order your faves on their new menu (Townsquare)
Here's how to order your faves on their new menu (Townsquare)
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 The Rewards Program--sort of.  When you make your first purchase at Black Rock, it sends you a text, click on the link, and it moves all your stuff over to their system. Fortunately, you do NOT have to download another app.  On my phone at least, it transitioned without issues.

 

After you click on the text, this is what happens (townsquare)
After you click on the text, this is what happens (townsquare)
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 No More Yelp Discounts.   Although the workers could not officially confirm it, they said it is "not likely" they will offer the popular $1 dollar discounts on each drink with a Yelp check-in.  For years, if you had Yelp on your phone, you would check-in and get $1 off. One check-in per phone. So 3 people and 3 phones in car, $3 bucks off total order. That's most likely not happening.

 The Bottom Line?

The most important thing is, are the drinks good?  Wife liked her White Rocket, and my fave is the blended Snickers. Pretty good, really.  But for many it will take some time to get used to the changes.  It may seem strange to some, but when it comes to our coffee we really are creatures of habit, and it will remain to be seen how loyal "Roaster-ites" adapt to all this stuff.

 

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