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76 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, August 19, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 10, 2004 Firefighters from a Josephine County rural fire district pick up their equipment Monday at Dutch Bros.� Grants Pass warehouse, which was destroyed by a Sunday evening fire. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Fire won’t stop coffee maker Portland outfit will roast Grants Pass company’s beans temporarily By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune 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 at about 6:20 p.m. Sunday 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 well 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. Advertisement Monday morning, Morris, Boersma and family members stood in a field next to the smoldering remains of the 22,000-square-foot building, watching a backhoe dig through the twisted, blackened metal. Sandy Boersma, wife of Dutch Bros. co-founder Dane Boersma, spotted a scorched hubcap in the rubble, all that was left of her Camaro, one of five vehicles lost in the fire. Vans decked out with the corporate logo and a classic Impala also burned. The blaze roared through the metal and concrete block structure, generating intense heat and smoke that hampered firefighters’ efforts, said Kent Romney, Rural/Metro Fire Department information officer. Sixty-three firefighters from 11 Rogue Valley fire agencies fought the blaze into the night. Falling debris hit two firefighters working inside the building Sunday, but neither was seriously injured, Romney said. Firefighters pulled out of the building just before the roof collapsed. They salvaged computers from the business office. The two firefighters struck by falling debris and four others suffering from heat-related problems were taken to Three Rivers Community Hospital, where they were treated and released, Romney said. 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 bags and bags of green coffee as well as the vehicles stored in the warehouse. The loss was insured. Dutch Bros. moved into the Upper River Road warehouse in March. The company’s marketing and advertising departments remain at it’s former warehouse near downtown Grants Pass, and some operations can shift back there. Valley of the Rogue Dairy, which 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. Suppliers helping keep ingredients flowing for Annihilators, Double Tortures, Brain Freezes and other coffee concoctions stopped by the field where Boersma conducted business via cell phone. 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." Reach reporter Anita Burke at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities