When Dave Grimm opened Regulator Roasting Company in 2020, he found out how making certain decisions in life depends a great deal upon when those decisions are made and carried out.

Other than “the normal list of things that must happen to start and run a business and a lot of being told, ‘No, you can’t do that,’ mostly by the government and the bank,” Dave says, the first year for Regulator Roasting was up against rarely seen obstacles: a pandemic and the subsequent government-mandated lockdowns. 

“I signed my lease, and two months in, COVID hit,” he recalls. “That was something that no one was prepared for. I guess we all adapted together, but it was rough. I am glad I started in just 300 square feet and didn’t rely on filling seats.”

Moving along slowly seemed the wise move at the time, but Dave never neglected to seize “every little opportunity that seemed like a good idea to help me grow my craft and business.”

Like any good cup of brew, dedicating the right amount of time to its creation is paramount. Although Regulator Roasting Company has been official since its opening on May 16, 2020, it was brewing as thought and preparation for much longer. “I have been roasting for 17 years, and Regulator Roasting Company has been in the works for 15,” Dave says. “We’ve been officially providing exceptional fresh-roasted coffee to East Peoria and its surrounding communities for five years.”

As one inhales the aroma of the freshly roasted beans or sips from a steaming cup from Regulator Roasting, it might come as a bit of a surprise that about 20 years ago, Dave never had an inclination of opening a full-on coffee business. “I just wanted good coffee and, quite frankly couldn’t afford it,” he admits. “So, being a ‘do-it-yourselfer,’ I taught myself to roast.”

But, as he says, “One can only drink so much coffee in a day. To roast more, I started providing beans for friends and family, which also allowed me to source better green beans. I guess it was the need to roast more and more types of coffee (and to enjoy, of course) that caused the slow but consistent growth of Regulator Roasting Company.”

Indeed, while many people have a passion for the product of the roasting—and Dave is no exception to that—his passion is “the process of taking a bunch of raw green seeds that grew on a tree and transforming (roasting) them into fragrant, delicious brown roasted coffee, ready to be brewed and enjoyed,” he shares. “Then I love sharing this wonder with others. Coffee, for a lot of people is a ritual, and I believe it should be enjoyed—not tolerated—every day! Regulator Roasting is here to provide that experience. I have up to 40 different coffees at any given time—all freshly roasted and ready to be enjoyed. The community aspect of coffee is amazing and never fails to provide new and interesting life experiences.”

Dave sources raw, also called ‘green,’ coffee from all over the world, allowing Regulator Roasting Company to provide the classic cup of coffee as well as “the fun and new processed coffees that are producing some very delicious and unique cups,” he says.

Inspired by a love of coffee roasting is certainly a key factor in Regulator Roasting’s growth, but what inspired that passion in the first place?

Dave’s love for the woman he would eventually marry played a big role. In 2007, Dave met and started dating Kourtney, an aspiring veterinary student. When she moved to Costa Rica to study sea turtles after earning her undergraduate degree, Dave flew down to pay her a visit.

Their romance with one another made up only a part of the overall love they felt—love for the country, its people, and its culture—a major part of which is, of course, coffee.

After getting married, the couple returned to honeymoon in Costa Rica and eventually returned to Central Illinois. Kourtney finished her schooling, Dave developed his passion for roasting, and the two started a family, which is now graced with three children: Liam, Leo, and Magdalena.

Again, timing played a significant role in how things worked out for the Grimm family, and the importance of timing has carried through into the very name of the business. “The name comes from the Regulator time movements,” Dave explains. “In the history of timekeeping, the Regulator clock movement was the first to measure half-seconds accurately and consistently. So, Regulator Roasting provides consistently exceptional coffee.”

Timing means a lot in life, but it’s not everything. If the timing is not ideal, hard work and the support of people who believe in you can often make up the difference. Dave’s success is partially owed to hard work, but he places the credit on the people he thinks deserves it the most: “My wife for telling me to do it, my dad for making me my first roaster, my mom for being the best mom ever, everyone else in the family and,” he emphasizes, “everyone who has enjoyed my coffee.”

In January of 2024, Regulator Roasting Company expanded to include a full-service coffee shop in connection with the roastery at 400 East Washington Street in East Peoria, Illinois. They are open from 7:30am to 6pm Wednesday through Friday, 7:30am to 2pm Monday through Tuesday, and 8am to 2pm on Saturday. They offer espresso drinks; iced coffee; iced tea; cold brew coffee; matcha in lemonades, lattes—hot and cold; and, of course, good, old-fashioned, freshly brewed hot coffee.

For those who can’t enjoy a cup of coffee without a dunker, Carl’s Donuts from East Peoria are also sold at Regulator Roasting on Wednesdays and Fridays. Or, for some old-world flavor to go with your drink, there are also flaky, ring-shaped, Danish Kringle pastries from O&H Kringle in Racine, Wisconsin.

If you have a curious desire to follow in Dave’s “do-it-yourselfer” footsteps, Regulator Roasting Company also sells brewing equipment and coffee accessories from Fellow. To find out more about the delicious flavors and mouth-watering aromas Regulator Roasting Company provides, visit their website at www.regulatorroastingco.com. 

Time has certainly proven favorable to Dave. With five years now under his belt, he looks forward to the years ahead. “I want to keep roasting coffee for everyone to enjoy,” he says. “I would like it to be a family operation when my children are ready, and if they want to.” 

No matter how much time led up to opening the business or how much time lies ahead, Dave’s purpose for opening the business has never changed: serving the public and sharing with them his passion for roasting, brewing, and drinking coffee. “Regulator Roasting Company exists,” he declares, “to provide the coffee consumer with an exceptional cup of coffee every day,” by offering a variety of freshly ground and roasted beans.

“Whatever a person’s preferences in coffee are, I can meet them and at the same time change what that coffee experience can be. I want people, especially in East Peoria, to know that Regulator Roasting Company is their local coffee source.”

“Stop by for a bag of our beans,” Dave cheerfully invites. “We have a cup of coffee for you.”