Chris Heyer

Dillanos opened as an espresso cart in 1992 in front of Howard Heyer's convenience store in Buckley, Washington. A partnership between Howard and his son David Morris, the cart was fueled by David's enthusiasm, Howard's business background, and a sincere desire to offer great coffee and great service. They named the business after David's newly born son Dillon. David and Howard opened two more retail locations the following year, and made two other decisions that would shape the business for years to come. They invited David's brother Chris Heyer, who himself worked as an experienced barista, to join the family business, and they bought their first 20-pound coffee roaster to kick off Dillanos as a wholesale coffee roasting operation. It wasn't long before the brothers were soaking up information from coffee professionals throughout the country. They learned from the ground up what it takes to source high-quality green coffee, perfect nuanced roast profiles, and create balanced, smooth-tasting blends. They were passionate about the artistry of bringing out a coffee's inherent character with just a small nudge of time and temperature. They soon sold the retail stores and put all their energy into wholesale roasting at a new location in Sumner, Washington. As the family business continued to expand, Dillanos grew from a tiny three-person outfit to a nationally recognized roaster with more than 1,500 customers across the country. Today, Dillanos employs more than 65 enthusiastic staff members and roasts for some of the country's most recognized specialty coffee brands and cafes. In the face of all this exciting growth, the Dillanos mission statement remains the same: Help People, Make Friends, Have Fun!