About Us
Kelly McLaughlin grew up spending summers in Gustavus with her extensive Lesh family. Her early years working at the Gustavus Inn were formative, and running a small local business in Gustavus feels like the life she was born to. She purchased the Fireweed Gallery in 2009, and opened the adjacent Fireweed Coffee and Tea House later that year with a dream to one day roast her own coffee as well. In 2019 the Roastery became a reality, and Fireweed’s Fairweather Grounds now offers small batch artisan roasts served and retailed in house, as well as available at other local establishments or for purchase online.
Since 2009, the Fireweed has grown into a thriving local hub where you can find the best cup of small-batch roasted coffee made with love & care by highly trained baristas, alongside organic treats baked from scratch on site. Everything is organic and locally sourced whenever possible. We offer many gluten free items, and will accommodate other dietary requests when able.
The goal of the Fireweed is to immerse you in the beautiful surroundings we call home. We feature local flavors, from Icy Strait caught and smoked salmon to Gustavus grown greens, potatoes, eggs, and more. We even infuse drinks and treats with seasonal favorites like spruce tips and rhubarb. Local ingredients are a staple in our food and drink menus, giving you a unique, place-oriented experience.
We feature local ingredients for the health giving effects to the body as well as the beneficial boon to the local economy. We showcase local art because it reflects the life we love, and supports local artists financially, so they can continue to contribute to a thriving small town.
The highest standards of quality are applied across the board, from that perfect latte and the nourishing food we make in house, to our homey atmosphere and the hand crafted art and gift selection.
Employee Culture
We take our coffee seriously… how do you take yours?
Coffee and art can be a career, and Fireweed aims to prove it.
We invest the time in each employee to learn the workings of a functional business from the ground up, and our employees tend to reflect that effort by sticking around, or coming back to work here again!
We hire locally, train thoroughly, and pay fairly, based on the idea that a thriving local economy is built from satisfying jobs that pay well and offer growth. Our baristas are trained to the high standards of both the Fireweed and Specialty Coffee Academy, earn a living wage, and are encouraged to expand their skill set continually.
Our staff know the quality ingredients used, method of preparation, and possible allergens. They know who grew the local produce, or whose chickens so kindly provided us eggs today.
They know the artists featured in our gallery, personally if not professionally.
They know Gustavus and southeast Alaska, from our strawberry-strewn beaches to the mossy forests surrounding us, from the best mushroom-picking spots to the moose blinds that can feed our families for a year.
And they know the difference a smile and a friendly hello can make. They’re not just baristas– they are your expert hostesses in Gustavus!
Learn more about our training techniques, our passion for baking from scratch, how to brew the perfect cup, and our local producers in upcoming features here!
Fireweed Gallery, Coffee and Tea House
PO Box 234
Gustavus, AK 99826
(907) 697-3013
Hours: Monday - Friday 7 am to 5 pm, Saturday 8 am to 5 pm, and closed Sundays
