45.968040,-91.525030
Still Riverbend
A wide, slow bend where the river takes a deep breath.
- SourcedFarmers and friends in Honduras
- RoastedHayward, Wisconsin
- PouredThe espresso bar at The Lumber Exchange
- Named forThree places on the Namekagon River
- OfferedWhole bean, by the bag, and by the cup
The company
A coffee company born
on the Namekagon.
Namekagon Drift is the house coffee of The Lumber Exchange, on the corner of Main Street and Highway 63 in Hayward, Wisconsin.
They say a river never rushes, yet it always gets where it’s going. We think coffee ought to be the same way. So we take our time with it: in where we source it, how we roast it, and how we pour it.
Our beans come from farmers and friends in Honduras. We roast them here in Hayward and name each blend for a real place on the Namekagon River, a few miles from our door. Pour a cup at the bar, at the cabin, or in a city kitchen, and a little of the Northwoods comes along with it.
It isn’t just coffee. It’s a reminder that the best days don’t always start with a plan. Sometimes they start with a pause, a breath, and a sip of something warm.
What we believe
The river doesn’t hurry, and neither do we.
01
Great things take time.
You can’t rush a sunrise, or a good cup of coffee. Everyone behind our bar is trained not just to pour, but to prepare, with respect for the beans, the water, and the quiet hope of a new day.
02
Every roast tells a story.
Each blend is tied to a place in Sawyer County. Its coordinates are printed on the bag and its story is written inside. A flavor can hold a moment the way a photograph never could.
03
A good brew breeds good company.
A building is made of brick and timber, but a community is made of stories. For us, relationships aren’t a by-product. They’re the scoreboard.
04
Certain places hold gravity.
Everyone’s got a place that sets their heart right. We hope every cup says, quietly, you’re here now, whether you’re a lifelong local or just passing through.
From Honduras to Hayward
The turn was always there.
Nick Garcia grew up in Honduras, in a family that has farmed coffee for generations. He learned early that coffee was more than a drink. It was a way to bring people together.
His work carried him into construction, managing projects across the country, and eventually to Hayward. There he led the build of The Lumber Exchange as its superintendent, and he and his wife Lidia made the town their home.
His last day in construction was a Friday. That Saturday was the open house, and Nick was behind the espresso bar. Now, as Coffee & Operations Director, he pours coffee from his home country in the building he helped raise.
A river can make a turn that looks sudden. Then the channels meet again.
What never left him was his faith, his care for the details, and a warm welcome for whoever walks through the door.
The blends
Three places on the river.
Each blend is named for a destination along the Namekagon, just downstream from Hayward. Every bag carries its coordinates.
45.972792,-91.545114
Sawyer’s Rise
An unmarked high point above the water, found by following the game trails.
45.976821,-91.515442
River Remembers
Where the river splits into a dozen channels and always finds its way home.
Visit
Pull up a chair.
Find Namekagon Drift at the espresso bar inside The Lumber Exchange. Enjoy yourself a cup, and let the drift take you.
Main Street & Highway 63 · Hayward, WI
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