Compass Coffee Roasting fills site of former Washougal Coffee Company

For nine years, Washougal Coffee Company provided a place for people to connect, socialize, work and participate in events. Residents say the coffee shop fostered a sense of belonging and strengthened the local social fabric.

Washougal Coffee Company permanently closed earlier this month, but the community hub remains in place.

Vancouver-based Compass Coffee Roasting opened Sept. 15 in the space formerly occupied by Washougal Coffee Company, 1700 Main St., No. 130.

“Compass is founded upon the belief system that we are a community hub,” owner Rahim Abbasi said. “We are the place where people go to spend their time regardless of who they are, what walks of life they’re in. We are able to give them a space for meetings or getting together.”

Compass Coffee Roasting has been roasting and serving coffee in Vancouver since 2007. It currently operates a cafe in downtown Vancouver and a roastery in the Minnehaha neighborhood. It formerly operated a shop in Portland from 2019 to 2021.

Washougal “fits us,” Abbasi said. “It fits our mindset, fits our personalities, fits what we want. And I’m loving the response so far. It’s everything I was hoping for. I’m blown away.”

Abbasi, the owner of Abbasi Design Works, a Portland-based design firm, spearheaded a three-day renovation project of his new Washougal site. The work included installing new lighting, painting the walls and moving in a camel cart that Abbasi rode during a 2005 trip to Jodhpur, India, and later purchased.

“I wanted to create a space that makes you feel good about being here. I was trying to bring in a little bit of a boho chic, Moroccan vibe,” Abbasi said.

Compass Coffee Roasting’s menu includes a variety of coffee drinks, tea and matcha, along with smoothies and lassi, a creamy, yogurt-based beverage from India. It also includes a selection of pastries, with breakfast sandwiches on the way.

The company is committed to sourcing beans ethically and transparently from farmers who prioritize sustainability and fair practices, and roasts all of its beans in small batches to ensure freshness and maintain high quality, according to its website.

“I’m really excited about the idea that we can be a new space in this community and get to know this community better,” Abbasi said.

Doug Flanagan: 360-735-4669; doug.flanagan@columbian.com