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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels August 10, 2004 Fire roasts Dutch Bros. Warehouse By Anita Burke For the Tidings GRANTS PASS - The flames were still licking through the remains of Dutch Bros.' main warehouse Sunday night when co-owner Travis Boersma hit the phones to keep caffeine flowing to drive-up customers in the Rogue Valley and elsewhere. A three-alarm blaze, reported Sunday afternoon, destroyed the warehouse at 3325 Upper River Road west of Grants Pass and caused an estimated $1.5 million loss. "As soon as I knew we lost the roaster, I called our bean broker in Eugene," Boersma said. With more unroasted, "green" coffee on the way, he got in touch with Boyd Coffee Co. in Portland to arrange for Boyd to roast Dutch Bros.' special blend of beans and keep the Grants Pass-based chain of 53 franchise and company-owned coffee shops supplied. "The 'Dutch love' is still going to be spread," said Dave Morris, who oversees the opening of new stores for the growing company whose trademark is its gregarious employees. The fire burned intensely for nearly three hours and crews remained on watch Monday while investigators worked to pinpoint the cause. The raging fire destroyed three coffee roasters and myriad bags of green coffee as well as the vehicles stored in the warehouse. The loss was insured. Valley of the Rogue Dairy, which was just sold to Umpqua Dairy Products, offered additional warehouse and cooler space at its now-empty building just down the road from the burned warehouse. "We've had so many people offer trucks and vans and warehouse space," Travis Boersma said. He also had a line on a replacement roaster that he could have up and running in two weeks. "We always had a backup plan that we never wanted to execute and we have people that we work with," Boersma said. "We value long-term relationships and look at our business as one team from supplier to customer." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams