Meet Janice Townsend | Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Janice Townsend and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Janice, what do you attribute your success to?
At Roots, hands down our people are the greatest factor behind our success. We’ve worked really hard to develop a culture of care for our staff and customers, and that community is what makes Roots unique. Our baristas are great at not only crafting amazing coffee, but also creating a hospitable experience for our guests where everyone feels welcome. I think that feeling of belonging is why people continue to come back time and time again.

What should our readers know about your business?
Roots Coffeehouse became one of the first third wave coffeehouses local to Tarrant County when we opened back in 2009. Roots was born out of a love for good coffee and community and has now grown into two shops (one in NRH and one in Fort Worth). We feel there are three things that set us apart: 1) our commitment to buying local and featuring local products throughout our menu and stores 2) our dedication to craft coffee in every step of the preparation process 3) our aim to be a community gathering place where everyone feels welcome. We’re also incredibly proud of our seasonal, rotating menu. Four times a year, with the change of the seasons, we create new signature drinks, baked goods, & toasts that reflect our creativity as a team. We love that this rotating menu stays current with the changing seasons and makes it so there is always something new for our customers to try. We recognize that we need to be constantly evolving in order to serve our community well. Listening to the feedback of our staff and customers in order to create a better place to work and a better place to gather are priorities that aid in that evolution. Our desire is to create community spaces and experiences where everybody feels welcome.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I have been living in the Near Southside of Fort Worth for almost five years now and I absolutely love my neighborhood! This side of town is filled with the best local spots in the city. If my best friend was visiting from out of town, we’d start our day by walking from my house to Craftwork on Magnolia. Coffee in hand, we’d stroll down Magnolia and pop into great local shops like Etico & Fort Worth Locals. Then, we’d hop on some bikes from the Fort Worth Bike Share and bike down to South Main Village. There, we’d grab a slice from the one and only Black Cat Pizza and grab a beer on the patio of HopFusion or Funky Picnic. From there, we’d stroll down to the Skinny Park and take in some sunshine or pop into Morgan Mercantile to see what’s new. Later that night, we’d catch Happy Hour at Cannon Chinese Kitchen and grab some comedy at Amphibian Stage. If we had to fit everything into one day, we may grab a drink at Tarantula Tiki or the Amber Room after the show, or we’d save some of these things for another day. That’s my perfect Southside day – filled with great local food, friends, and lots of being outside.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a little shoutout to our amazing store managers – Alissa Probst & Meagan McIntire! Together, that have been part of Roots for over ten years and they lead our two stores with care, compassion, and class. Without them, Roots would not be what it is today. I am so incredibly grateful for them and how they lead our teams.

Website: www.rootscoffeehouse.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/janandthetowns
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janice-dotti-townsend-23607a102/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rootscoffeehouse
Other: Roots Insta: @Rootscoffeehouse Personal Insta: @janandthetowns