ABOUT
Opening a roastery in the southeast of England was always the dream for PHARMACIE founder & creative director Rick Curtis, once a regular at Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Portland, Oregon, where he avidly watched Duane Sorensen roast inside this legendary coffee house.
The name PHARMACIE was inspired by a ‘drugs’ sign that Stumptown hung inside their shop and from a 1970s French sign Rick had bought and kept behind his couch for years. Add the balanced scales to the logo and the PHARMACIE brand proudly exhibits the fact that coffee is an excellent drug, controlled by precise weights and measures, whilst the roasting and resulting brew is a fine balancing act of coffee fruit flavours.
Following many years of running coffee shops in Brighton, Hove and Kemp Town, Rick’s dream to start his own roastery became an opportunity when his friend Danny Tapper of Beak Brewery suggested he move in next door to an old warehouse at The Cliffe Estate, Lewes. Rick opened PHARMACIE COFFEE ROASTERY in Lewes 2021 in this stunning 1800sq feet warehouse, allowing amazing views of the South Downs National Park and the River Ouse, with space for 50 coffee lovers to hand out plus free parking.
The aromas are incredible, fresh green beans roasting in the gas fuelled furnace alongside a whiff of sea air saltiness and the heady scent of hops from next door, whilst stylish sofas, water bowls for furry friends and a great customer experience are always assured.
The décor is industrial chic with concrete floors and walls, housing a ginormous Giesen™ roaster, managed by experienced head roaster Carola, who has worked with Rick and PHARMACIE since it began, ensuring consistent roasts and coaxing a kaleidoscope of flavours from the green beans.
Open everyday, 8am-3pm weekdays and 9am until 3pm at weekends, PHARMACIE is a roastery, café, shop, art gallery and training academy. PHARMACIE also supply coffee to some of the best cafes, restaurants, cinemas and wine estates throughout the UK.