Old Rock Coffee in Sudbury, Ont. has new owners.

For 20 years, Old Rock has been roasting a wide variety of coffees in the northern Ontario city at its downtown location, near the Sudbury Community Arena.

The city purchased the location earlier this year and it’s due for demolition in the summer to make space for a possible new arena and event centre downtown.

But for Ryan Catton, one of Old Rock’s new owners, the purchase was about keeping the brand alive, and continuing to roast the different coffees Old Rock is known for.

“We’re focusing on the beans, ” Catton said.

“And so anything through online orders. Right now I think we’re sitting at about 10 licensees with a potential to increase through more.”

Catton started roasting his own coffee in 2010. He started with a popcorn popper and then moved on to a 2.5-kilogram roaster in his garage.

In 2016 he started a small batch coffee roasting company called Architect Roasting Company, and sells his beans in local stores and markets. 

The Old Rock purchase includes a larger coffee roaster, but they’ll need to find a new location for it.

Christopher Pollesel, Old Rock’s other new owner, said they have a strong lead on a new location, but the details still need to be finalized.

Pollesel said they won’t open a new coffee shop, but there should be opportunities for tours.

“That’s important,” he said. “We want to maintain that connection to Sudbury and northern Ontario.”

But Hatton said if someone else wants to open a new coffee shop in Sudbury they can licence their coffee to them.