Blynn Atchley brews dream business with Coffee & Computers

Blynn Atchley has 18 years of experience in the information technology field; his day job is in the cybersecurity business. Frustrated by the environment of a previous job, he told a coworker that his dream would be to just roast coffee and fix computers.

“And he said, ‘Dude, that’s actually a really good idea,’” Atchley said.

So in 2023, he opened Coffee & Computers, a business focusing on serving coffee and working on computers. On Sunday, July 14, he will open the business’ first brick-and-mortar storefront for a soft launch, subleasing from Encore Pizzeria + Kitchen at its new location at 46 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau.

Originally, Atchley wanted to start an IT consulting business, but he wanted to find a way to incorporate coffee. His wife, Adelle, suggested having a subscription program featuring gift cards to coffee establishments as a reward, and Atchley expanded on that idea.

“It dawned on me, why don't I just roast my own coffee and I can give that as part of the program?” he said.

It was Atchley’s first time roasting coffee for customers and he said he wanted to make coffee that fits with the brand he had created. He started out at Cape Riverfront Market in September, selling specialty blends with tech-inspired names such as Bite-Sized Brazilian, Cybernetic Chiapas and Binary Bajawa.

“For me, I love the community aspect of it,” he said. “I love working with all the vendors, especially when it comes to us coming up with specialty drinks.”

Technology is used for more than just name inspiration; Atchley also uses it when making the coffee itself. Using an Aillio Bullet R1 roaster, he tracks each roast he makes with a specific graph.

“From that standpoint, once I build a profile for that roast that I like and that I think tastes great, I can use a playback feature, almost like an artificial intelligence feature for the roaster, and it will play that back following the graph for the entire process,” Atchley said. “… I feel like people look at roasting as a smoke and mirrors type thing, and its really not.”

Working a booth at the market with his wife, niece and nephew, Atchley also works with other vendors to create different coffee flavors. These partnerships help both businesses out, he said, but it was not how he and Encore Pizzeria + Kitchen owner Cody Kelley started their collaboration.

Atchley got to know Kelley by eating his restaurant’s pizzas and helping him set up a website. Kelley suggested working out of the same space in spring 2024.

His goal is to, with the help of his nephew, provide IT services to clients there as well as serve coffee. Eventually, he said he would like to set up computers there for a cyber café and offer coffee-roasting seminars as well.

Atchley said he had another reason for wanting to join Kelley. The new Encore location at 46 N. Main St. used to be home to the Cup ’N’ Cork coffee shop where Atchley and his wife had their first date.

Other events for the location include potential tabletop roleplaying or board game nights. At least one writing club has also approached Atchley about hosting meetings there. He said he ultimately wants to make Coffee & Computers his full-time career.

“I just want to be there and help support the community,” he said.

Coffee & Computers will open around the beginning of August, Atchley said, some two weeks after its soft launch. He will continue to serve coffee at Cape Riverfront Market.

For more information, visity https://www.coffeecomputers.net.

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