Spectracolor, a specialty roastery and cafe at the Simon Silk Mill, aims to shine a light on a whole rainbow of coffee flavors.
“I was thinking of coffee as a spectrum, not just dark and light, but so many different flavors, like fruity or nutty,” said Laura Fay, the owner and founder of Spectracolor.
Spectracolor is largely a medium roaster, unlike most specialty roasteries, which sell mostly light roasts. It offers pour-over coffees, espresso-based drinks, matcha, teas and pastries.
Fay creates her own coffee blends for the business.
“I really love our espresso,” Fay said about the blend called Mood Ring, which is half-Ethiopian natural and half-Columbian washed beans. “I feel like that’s our strongest roast because it’s very versatile.”
She also decorated the shop herself, acquiring most of the furniture from Facebook Marketplace or local stores and carpenters.
“I wanted something that was sort of vibey and fun,” she said. “I wanted something comfortable.”
“I like Spectracolor because I get to ride through the arts trail and it’s a bit more quiet location,” said Chris Nappo ‘27, a customer at Spectracolor. “Their coffee is also great and they’re really friendly inside.”
In addition to its drinks, Spectracolor holds a monthly event every fourth Saturday named “Weekend Blend,” where it hosts a pop-up of a local artist’s work or baker’s pastries. It also invites DJs to the shop every third Friday in an event called “Ambient Lounge.”
“I do like being part of the local food scene and the creative scene,” Fay said.
“I really am about community and connecting and making special moments for people,” Corey Cornelius said, one of Spectracolor’s baristas who helps coordinate pop-ups at the store. Cornelius cited this desire to connect as a reason for their interest in working at Spectracolor.
Cornelius had no experience as a barista before Spectracolor. Fay trained them and several other baristas and introduced them to experts in matcha and latte art.
Spectracolor also has an online ordering service.
“While people can hang, I want it to be easy for people to come in and grab a coffee and go,” Fay said.
Before entering the coffee world, Fay owned a beer brewery in Easton.
“I loved hospitality,” Fay said. “I liked how I got to design a product, but I didn’t actually brew beer.”
“I left that project and wanted to do something on my own and find my own thing that I can create,” she continued.
Fay worked as a barista at two different roasteries and took classes at the Academy at Coffee Project New York.
Knowing she wanted a location in Easton, Fay looked for a space for her business for a couple of years before one became available at the Simon Silk Mill.
Fay works with a wholesaler to acquire coffee beans, whom she likes “a lot” because they build supportive relationships with farmers.
In the future, Fay hopes to continue holding pop-ups and engage with Lafayette College students interested in selling their work at Spectracolor. She is focused on adding more roasts to the cafe’s shelves this year.
“Come visit,” she said. “Check us out if you want.”
