Colectivo began in an old warehouse in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point, where Lincoln and Ward met Paul in 1992 and bonded over coffee and vinyl records. In 1993 the three bought their first vintage Probat and started roasting as Alterra Coffee Roasters, opening a kiosk with on-site roasting in Bayshore Mall the following year. Prospect Cafe followed in 1997, and Lakefront Cafe, the first with food, in 2002. Alterra sold the global rights to its name to Mars in 2010, and in 2013, its 20th anniversary year, the business renamed itself Colectivo and ended that relationship.

The coffee is roasted in Riverwest, at the café that doubles as the roastery and headquarters, where visitors can watch the roasters at work. Colectivo hand-roasts on two vintage Probat machines, without computers or algorithms to predict the roast path. Direct sourcing began in 1994 with a trip to Finca Oriflama in San Marcos, Guatemala, and in 1998 a partnership with the Kulaktik cooperative in Mexico became its first Fair Trade buying relationship. Blue Heeler, created the same year and named after Mina, the company’s Australian Blue Heeler mascot, is still one of its most popular blends.

There are twelve locations in and around Milwaukee, four cafés in Madison, where the first opened on the Square in 2013, and cafés in Chicago and Evanston since 2017, with two more coming soon. The cafés serve all-day breakfast and café food, and Troubadour Bakery, established by Colectivo in Bay View in 2012, makes the bread, pastries and cookies in house. The range covers single origins, limited Featured Farm lots, organic and Fair Trade blends, dark roasts and decafs.

Locations

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  1. Colectivo Humboldt Blvd.2999 N Humboldt Blvd, Milwaukee, WI 53212RiverwestOpen in Google Maps
  2. Colectivo Bay View2301 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207Bay ViewOpen in Google Maps
  3. Colectivo Foundry170 S 1st St, Milwaukee, WI 53204Walker's PointOpen in Google Maps
  4. Colectivo Lakefront1701 N Lincoln Memorial Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53202East SideOpen in Google Maps
  5. Colectivo Prospect Ave.2211 N Prospect Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202Lower East SideOpen in Google Maps
  6. Colectivo Third Ward223 E St Paul Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202Historic Third WardOpen in Google Maps
  7. Colectivo US Bank777 E Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202DowntownOpen in Google Maps

Elsewhere

  1. Colectivo Shorewood4500 N Oakland Ave, Shorewood, WI 53211ShorewoodOpen in Google Maps
  2. Colectivo 68th St.6745 W Wells St, Wauwatosa, WI 53213WauwatosaOpen in Google Maps
  3. Colectivo Swan Blvd.9125 W North Ave, Wauwatosa, WI 53226WauwatosaOpen in Google Maps
  4. Colectivo Grafton1211 Washington St, Grafton, WI 53024GraftonOpen in Google Maps
  5. Colectivo Mequon11205 Cedarburg Road, Mequon, WI 53092MequonOpen in Google Maps
  6. Colectivo Monroe St.2530 Monroe St, Madison, WI 53711Dudgeon-Monroe, MadisonOpen in Google Maps
  7. Colectivo On The Square25 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703Capitol Square, MadisonOpen in Google Maps
  8. Colectivo State St.583 State Street, Madison, WI 53703Downtown, MadisonOpen in Google Maps
  9. Colectivo Willy St.836 Williamson Street, Madison, WI 53703Marquette, MadisonOpen in Google Maps
  10. Colectivo Andersonville5425 N Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60640Andersonville, ChicagoOpen in Google Maps
  11. Colectivo Lincoln Park2530 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614Lincoln Park, ChicagoOpen in Google Maps
  12. Colectivo Logan Square2261 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647Logan Square, ChicagoOpen in Google Maps
  13. Colectivo Wicker Park1211 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60622Wicker Park, ChicagoOpen in Google Maps
  14. Colectivo Ravenswood1831 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60640Ravenswood, ChicagoOpen in Google Maps
  15. Colectivo Southport3258 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657Lakeview, ChicagoOpen in Google Maps
  16. Colectivo Evanston - Downtown716 Church Street, Evanston, IL 60201Downtown Evanston, EvanstonOpen in Google Maps
  17. Colectivo Roscoe Village2032 West Roscoe Street, Chicago, IL 60618Roscoe Village, Chicago
  18. Colectivo Evanston - Central St.2945 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201Evanston

Partner cafés

Coffee on the shelf

Photograph: Colectivo Coffee