International becomes Beacon Coffee Roasters

International Coffee Traders has been a staple in Bozeman for more than 20 years known for its coffee, atmosphere and friendly baristas. Recently, the local icon has received a new name. Beacon Coffee Roasters sits on the corner of 10th and Bozeman right off of campus. 

Patrick Flemming, the owner since early 2020, referred to the establishment as a beacon in Bozeman, commenting on the recent name change. “Beacon is a saying between me and my family, like go be a beacon of light in the world,” Flemming said. From this saying, an idea began to grow. “One of our family friends actually said to us — why don’t you guys just change the name of International, you’re always talking about this beacon saying,” Flemming said. 

The name change has been a couple of years in the making. Patrick and his wife Sarah have been working hard to settle into the name change and make the regulars comfortable with it. 

“There’s been a lot of speculation about change in the business or new owners, but it’s really not changing,” Flemming said. “For the most part people are reacting well. Some people are bummed out about the shift, but if they’re too focused on the name and not the cause then they’re missing out on what we’re trying to do here,” Flemming said.

“For the most part I think people are just curious,” Beacon barista and MSU alumna, Cleo Schied said. Schied has been working for Flemming since July of 2022 and recognizes the vision that Flemming has for the new Beacon Coffee Roasters. 

“I knew the moment I interviewed here, this is the place I want to work and these are the people I want to work for,” Schied said. 

For Flemming, his goal is to make an impact on the community. A third-generation Bobcat, Flemming commented, “It’s something that’s bred into us I think, just that this is our hometown and we want to take care of it.” 

A time that seriously impacted Flemming was watching customers in the coffee shop during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Everyone was just gloomy and down, people would come in and just be watching the news. If we can just be a place where people can come in and forget about what’s going on for a minute and get some good coffee and have a good time that’s a triumph for us,” he said.

Moreover, Flemming said that what Beacon serves is “good coffee.” All of Beacon’s coffee beans are sourced from small farms worldwide and then roasted in-house. One of Flemming’s favorite partner farms is Hacienda la Minita in Costa Rica, focuses on providing their workers withousing and health care while protecting the rainforest around the farm. According to their website, Hacienda la Minita also complies with all of the criteria to be a Rainforest Alliance Certified product; meaning their farm prioritizes social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Despite the opportunity for bragging rights, Flemming prefers to do the right thing quietly. “I like how busy we are, I don’t need a bunch of people coming in because of where we’re sourcing our beans. This place feels like a classic Montana coffee shop; it’s backroads, not Main Street downtown where all the tourists are. This feels like Bozeman to me,” Flemming said.

The other thing about Beacon that’s changing is the coffee shop’s logo colors. Done with the former red and white, Flemming has opted for blue and yellow to match the new name. “They’ve always been some of my favorite colors, and yellow is just one of those happy colors. And of course, we’re Bobcats too,” Flemming said. “It’s not supposed to be screaming blue and gold, but at the same time that’s a part of our lives.”

Beacon Coffee Roasters, though slightly different than it was last year, is no less friendly or welcoming to the community. “That’s what I love about this place is that the majority of people I see are regulars — like I see them regularly and I can build relationships with them and talk to them about their classes and their jobs and that’s honestly the best part of my job,” Schield said. 

Be sure to stop by for a vanilla chai latte or a drip coffee  — Flemming and Shield’s recommendations — and enjoy the beacon of joy they’ve worked so hard to create.