Colombian music and the rich aroma of house-roasted coffee might be among the last things one would expect along the quiet strip of South Central Avenue in downtown Eureka. At La Finca Coffee, however, locals and travelers alike can share in an experience unlike any other in the region.
Without any prior experience running a coffee shop, John and Alejandra Hagedorn envisioned such a space when they opened La Finca in 2018. John, a St. Louis native raised by a first-generation Mexican immigrant, grew up working alongside his mother in their family-owned Mexican restaurant. Alejandra grew up in Bucaramanga, Colombia, and immigrated to the United States after earning a fine arts degree. Her father, a professional artist in Colombia, introduced her to art at a very young age.
Find the best food in St. Louis
Subscribe to the St. Louis Dining In and Dining Out newsletters to stay up-to-date on the local restaurant and culinary scene.
During a trip to Alejandra’s hometown, her father took them to a friend’s neighborhood coffee shop, which doubled as an art gallery. “It was humble and rustic, with stone walls covered in artwork from the locals, including her father’s,” recalls John. “It was nothing like I’d ever seen in St. Louis.”
Upon returning to the United States, the couple started looking for locations to introduce the St. Louis community to its first authentic Colombian coffee shop. With an abundance of upscale coffee giants in the city, John and Alejandra wanted to branch out. On her way home from work one day, John’s mother saw a for-sale sign on the building in downtown Eureka. The rest is history.
The coffee shop’s name, La Finca, is a Spanish term meaning “small farm.” “It carries this notion of ‘local’,” says John. “When you order something from a local artisan in Spanish-speaking cultures, they will literally write ‘Finca (last name of the maker)’ on the bag. It just seemed to perfectly capture who we are, where we come from, and what we believe in.”
The mission was to provide the community with a coffee shop where they could order something simple and stay awhile in a memorable atmosphere. “I wanted to take it old-school, make it really rustic, and get the feel of South America,” says John. “We installed the brick interior, spun some Colombian vinyl, hung up some of Alejandra’s artwork, and we were ready to go.”
Staying true to the communal spirit, John learned the fundamentals of making coffee drinks and sourcing beans from Park Avenue Coffee owner Dale Schotte.
He then paid a visit to another friend and fellow St. Louis coffee shop owner, Scott Carey of Sump Coffee. “He melted my mind with one sip,” John says. “It was the first time I realized that coffee could taste like that.”
John returned with a newfound curiosity and determination to bring elevated coffee from the city to the county. “We were constantly experimenting with new techniques and ingredients,” he says. “The customers’ curiosity grew right along with us.”
Café de Olla, or “coffee of the pot,” for instance, is a Mexican-inspired brew that combines hot water, cinnamon, and panela with ground coffee to create a drink steeped in history.
Over time, La Finca has evolved into the elusive type of coffee shop that can satisfy an entire spectrum of tastes, from the connoisseur to the first-time coffee drinker. “My favorite thing is when I’m behind the bar making drinks and a customer starts asking me questions,” says John. “If a customer wants something and I’m able to provide it, I’ll do it.”
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, La Finca had its best year yet in 2020. “We feel more connected to our customers now than we ever have,” says Alejandra. “They come in to get coffee, but they also come in to see us and each other. We always hoped this would be a place like that, but we never dreamed we’d be here. It just feels like home.”
