The Team
Ty Paluska – Wholesale Consultant & Manager/Brew Specialist/Barista
Having spent nearly 6 years working as a barista and manager in several different coffee shops, I finally discovered what kind of shop I would like to be a part of opening. A shop dedicated to high quality, focus on local economy, and a huge emphasis on human interaction and making the world a better place. So, I dropped out of college and pursued this dream and am thus a part of this team of hooligans acting as part-owner, cafe manager, and public relations guru trying to make it happen right here in my hometown in a building I’ve always thought of as the coolest building in town. I have an amazing wife, Kami, and a super awesome little boy, Berkley James. When not slingin’ spro I’m usually making a pour-over and wishing that I had more free time to learn more about coffee. Coffee, family, and my coffee family are my life and I’m totally okay with that.
Favorite Origin: Panama Esmeralda La Especial 2010
Favorite Drink: Coffee from the v60
Superpower: ENERGY SOURCING and DAD strength
Something Personal: ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars is a guilty pleasure of mine. Also, I consider myself on a journey to try and make the world a better place through following Jesus. If you ever want to talk about anything in this regard I love chatting about it and am hopefully a living example of it!
Daniel Williamson – Roasting Manager/Roaster/Barista Trainer
When I’m not roasting, cupping, training, or slinging spro, my favorite activities revolve around the outdoors. I love camping, backpacking, fishing, and woodworking. My all-time favorite backpacking trip was a post-high school roadtrip to Alaska with some of my best friends…over 11,000 miles driving during 6 weeks. There’s no feeling quite like standing on a mountain top miles from any other soul. I can’t wait to be standing on my first coffee growing mountain as a tie between my passions.
Favorite Origin: Panama Esmeralda Especial Geisha
Favorite Drink: A perfectly balanced cappuccino (so hard to come by)
Superpower: Fire
Something Personal: I hate fixies
Steven Elmore – Office Manager/Business
After a serious automobile accident that left me a C-5 – C-6 quadriplegic (a life changing experience to say the least (no I’m not overly sensitive about my condition)) I became obsessed with coffee and coffee culture. It was a natural step to utilize my prior business and marketing experience in the field I love so much. When not attending to coffee matters I require time to read, read, and read and am more than willing to discuss, ad nauseam, any subject I am familiar with. Although it does not typically coincide with my coffee family, immediate and distant, I am a fanatic for nearly all forms of motor-sports.
Favorite Origin: Ethiopia Nekisse
Favorite Drink: Traditional Cappuccino
Superpower: Setting off airport and courthouse metal detectors
Something Personal: I consider philosophy a hobby
Haly Elmore – Cafe Manager/Brew Tech/Barista
Hi. I’m Haly. Ty calls me Haly my Pal-y, because I’m just that kind of girl. I started out on this crazy adventure with these boys I love so much (Steve (my husband), Ty and Dan) and couldn’t be happier. Through coffee I’ve met a world of amazing people. I’m Assistant Manager/Barista/Brew Tech/Cash Rep, so you’ll see me around. I love love love my coffee family, my lovelies, and enjoy spending my days with them. If I’m not making Sarah a macchiato I’m reading, hanging with Steve, watching movies (preferably zombie ones) or just puttering around the shop. So stop in and get a cup of something from the amazing crew here. You won’t be disappointed, I promise.
Favorite Origin: I don’t want to say Hachira. You’ll think we’re all drones.
Favorite Drink: Macchiato or hot chocolate (What?! We make amazing chocolate. Don’t pick on me Dan!!)
Superpower: Putting up with three headstrong men everyday while not simultaneously losing my mind or kicking them in the shins.
Something Personal: I love zombies. I love the squishy, crunchy, chomping sounds of zombie movies.
Sarah Trost – Barista/Brew Tech
Hey, I’m Sarah Trost, my last name rhymes with toast. I was born and raised in Peoria; I call this place home. One of my earliest memories is of my dad teaching me how to make coffee. Long before I was drinking it, I loved everything about it. I really enjoy music, baking, dabbling in film photography, talking about liberty, and making people laugh. You know that you love what you’re doing when you’re not only excited to work, but you still show up on your days off for a cup of coffee. I love my job.
Favorite Origin: Ethiopia Hachira
Favorite Drink: Pour-over or macchiato
Superpower: Better and faster
Something Personal: Holding a sloth would be a dream come true. Also, I like to think I’m pretty decent at driving a stick shift.
Tyler Hoerr- Barista/Brew Tech
Coffee has been an interest of mine for quite some time now. What began as admiration for ‘those cool adults who drank that familiarly stale, black beverage’, slowly developed into a deep interest and appreciation for the true and intended state of this substance: fresh, properly roasted and prepared coffee. When I’m not drinking, brewing, or serving an aromatic cup of wonderment, there are a host of things I enjoy outside the world of coffee. Foremost of these pleasures is my relationship and friendship with Jesus, my lord. At home, I like to spend my time in prayer, reading (historical, theological, philosophical), tickling the ivories and spending time with my beautiful, delightful and lovely wife.
Favorite Origin: Ethiopia Hachira
Favorite Drink: For work: v60 pour-over, for curiosity: espresso, for sheer enjoyment: traditional macchiato!
Superpower: Definitely time travel… how awesome would that be.
Something Personal: I’m colorblind. No I don’t see the world in black and white. Now stop asking me what color that is.
Trey Mowder- Barista/Brew Tech
Sup, I’m Trey. I have a degree in something or other from Bradley, but instead of trying to get the kind of job my parents want me to have in the field corresponding to my degree, I would rather wake up early to serve you coffee, or stay up late to serve you coffee, or just talk to you about coffee if you want, even if I’m not working. I’ll totally give you my number and you can call me and ask me about coffee. I may not have the answer, but we can have fun imagining what the answer may be, and I’ll find out for you, and then maybe a friendship will grow. If it does, I’ll try to make you laugh by making a bad pun, and I’ll tell you that I used to do stand-up in Chicago, but when you ask why I stopped, I won’t have a good answer. I’ll eventually tell you that I’m a vegan, and you’ll ask me about it every time we talk, and sometimes I’ll want to talk about it, and sometimes I won’t, and I apologize for those times. The last thing you’ll find out about me is that I’m a Christian, because I’ll think you’re cool and I won’t want to scare you away. Mostly, I’ll just talk to you about how much I love my job, and how it’s like my favorite job I’ve ever had, as long as you don’t get me started on the Beatles, in which case that’s what I’ll talk about the most.
Favorite Origin: Currently it’s the Ethiopia Hachira, but it changes with my mood.
Favorite Drink: I usually go with a pour over.
Superpower: Telekenisis, the most versatile power in my opinion. If you can control matter with your mind, then you can control anything made of matter, which includes being able to make your own body fly. So I mean like, if you have telekenisis, you have flying too.
Something Personal: I have a collection of 100 or so unique “to-go” coffee sleeves from all kinds of shops all over Illinois and a few other states.
Angela Inez Baldus – Barista/Brew Tech/Shift Leader
My name is Angela Inez Baldus and thirty-thirty has become my new family in Peoria. I moved to the area recently and cannot be happier about the opportunity I have been given to work with an amazing group of people serving superior coffee. When I am not working or hanging around the shop I am either painting, cooking, watching movies, or antique shopping with my boyfriend. I have my Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in painting and consider painting more than a hobby, but rather a necessity in maintaining mental fitness. As far as movie watching, a few of my favorite directors are Francis Ford Coppola, Sophia Coppola, Harmony Korine, Wes Anderson, and Robert Altman. In the kitchen I stick to cooking vegetarian cuisine and baking pies. Lastly, antiquing is a pastime that is both educational and full of surprises, one of my favorite things to look for is a Memento Mori, a reminder of mortality. With that said, I am happy to confidently serve you a terrific cup of coffee, one of the more splendid earthly delights.
Favorite Origin: Ethiopia Hachira (Although, I’ll agree with Trey, and say this also changes with my mood)
Favorite Drink: traditional Macchiato
Super Power: Photographic Memory
Something Personal: I do not like horseradish or music festivals.
Tony Acord- Barista/Brew Tech/Shift Leader
I’m all about my family and all about coffee. I have a beautiful wife who I love dearly and two kiddos; one boy (ginger) who is all about eating coffee beans; one girl (freakin’ adorable) who is a brewmaster at home (although she’s only three).
Favorite Origin: Ethiopia Hachira
Favorite Drink: Pour-over and Espresso; can’t really choose one over the other.
Super Power: The Hulk…ya know, because I’m Big and Strong.
Something Personal: I am the first crazy guy that moved my family across the land to work for thirty-thirty Coffee Co. and I like to think that I couldn’t have made a better career decision!
Heather Lockwood – Customer Service Rep (Coffee Consultant)/Brew Tech
I consider myself to be a coffee ‘newbie’ since I am still learning
how to prepare that perfect cup. Coffee to me is more than just a
drink. The body, color, flavor, and smell in its entirety, is an art
form. The whole process from beginning to end has me so intrigued to
learn more! When I am not pumping my veins full of coffee or sharing
the love of it with others, you will find me photographing. I have a
Bachelor’s degree from Bradley in photography and it’s essential to
capture what I see around me. Being outdoors(especially in the
mountains) surrounded by so much beauty is also a part of who I am. My
simple desire in life is to share what I enjoy with others, so let’s
chat!
Favorite Origin: Columbia Geisha
Favorite Drink: Pour-over
Superpower: Teleportation…seriously, why hasn’t this been figured out?!
Something Personal: I have seen over 100 bands live in concert. I am
quite the music guru ;]
Angie Hodel – Customer Service Rep (Coffee Consultant)/Brew Tech
Hey, I’m Angie Hodel, my last name rhymes with yodel. I wish I could someday be as cool as Sarah Trost! In all seriousness, I strive to surround myself with any thing that is beautiful and life-giving. First and foremost on this list is Jesus Christ, the most beautiful and life-giving being in existence. Secondly, my husband, Seth, who never fails to challenge, intrigue, and entertain. Coffee is a delightful marriage of the many loves in my life, including taste, community, artistry, and design. Each cup is an experience, whether it be an exciting flavor profile, or a familiar conversation with an old friend. It truly is a unique beverage, and I am thrilled to be interacting daily with people that prize it so highly. A few of my other interests include singing, theatre, thrifting, crafting, theology, and cooking. So there ya have it!
Favorite Origin: Ethiopia Hachira. I know, but really. It’s the bomb dig.
Favorite Drink: pour-over, or macchiato
Superpower: Omni-linguism, the ability to understand any form of language.
Something Personal: I am very, very afraid of frogs.
Photo by Deidre Lynn Photography
Ryan Smith – Midnight Espresso (thirty-thirty wholesale account) Manager/Barista
From a western Canadian childhood, I have laid my roots in the heart of the Midwest. I have been married to my amazing wife for over a decade and have an 8-year-old son that takes up the majority of my day. I have worked in the food and beverage industry since high school and have been extremely fortunate to be a part of many amazing restaurants in the Midwest as well as Portland, Oregon. Why coffee then? I was drawn to the drink mainly because of the communal aspect of the cup, the gathering of people talking about life, sports, politics and faith. I have had some of the most amazing and absurd conversations while at a shop. I have came along way since high school as I was straight edge and my belief was that caffeine was a harmful and I wanted no part of it. Other than family and work I am an active member of the Timbers Army, the supporter group of the Portland Timbers soccer club (PTFC!!!!) You can also catch me on I-55 S heading towards STL to catch as many Blues games as I possibly can.
Favorite origin: Ethiopian Sidamo or Ecuador Lucas Vera
Favorite drink: Miel – local honey is a must!!!!
Super power: I know it’s common but, to end all suffering.
Something personal: My wife calls me a “closet lumberjack”, I think it’s from the time I spent in the Pacific Northwest. I have been known to wear flannel and stocking caps year round. It may be 100 degrees in July, but more than likely you will still see me wearing my “gear” with a Black Flag shirt underneath.
Erin Chambers – Midnight Espresso Barista
Originally from Minneapolis, I meandered down this way for the pursuit of my MBA and collegiate bowling. Many early mornings attending classes, long afternoons spent bowling, and late nights working at a local pub ignited my coffee obsession. I couldn’t be happier working for a company who’s as passionate about their community as they are about their delicious products. When I am not workin’ for the man I am typically enjoying my other passions: immersing myself in scientific/ philosophical/ historical literature, fitness, the great outdoors, and tasty brews with my confidants.
Favorite Origin: Depends on my mood, currently the Ecuador Tazo Dorada
Favorite Drink: Cappuccino coupled with a shot
Super Power: Might as well go for the gusto…Omnipotence
Something Personal: I have a soft spot for the feared and revered pit bull. I intend on opening a pit rescue once it’s financially feasible. I LOVE the two I have adopted thus far.
