Small Town Success: How Australian coffee culture found a home in Revelstoke

When Australians John Pierce and Lauren Webster moved to Revelstoke in 2014, they were drawn by the allure of snowboarding and mountain living. What they didn’t realize was how much they’d miss the coffee culture back home.

According to Pierce, buying a coffee in Australia is “more of an experience than a convenience.” Until recently, Australian cafés didn’t serve drip or filter coffee—only espresso-based drinks. More than a spot for a quick caffeine fix, these cafés are about slowing down, catching up with friends and savouring that second cup. For Pierce and Webster, it wasn’t just the coffee they missed—it was the connection and ritual that came with it.

When they couldn’t find the coffee environment they were looking for in “Revy,” they decided to create their own: Dose Coffee. “Despite the fact that there were already amazing cafés here, we saw an opportunity to offer something different,” shares Webster.

The couple, who have been together for 15 years, began dreaming up their vision for an Australian-style café. Not only would it allow them to serve the kind of coffee they missed, it would also build community in a town that’s notoriously transient. “We didn’t want to just move to the community—we wanted to be part of it,” says Pierce.

With $25,000 saved, they took a leap of faith. “We figured it wasn’t that much to lose and we’d rather try and fail than not try at all,” continues Pierce. “We took the approach of building the plane as we flew it.”

By 2016, they had found the perfect space downtown to open the doors to Dose Coffee. The name, Pierce explains, is about offering “a dose of community, good food, good coffee and whatever you need to get your day started.”

While their budget was tight, they received immense support. Friends helped with everything from décor to construction. “The support from the community was absolutely amazing,” says Webster. “We had tons of help from friends from the start, which I think is why it was successful to begin with.” And with limited funds to design the space, Webster got creative. “We literally took everything out of our home at the time and put it in Dose—like stuff we’d collected on our road trips throughout B.C., most of it thrifted,” she laughs.

It turned into a happy accident—one that is paying off in unexpected ways. “People came in and felt like they were in their own living room,” says Webster, noting that they even got timber from an old church a friend was refurbishing into a hostel.

Dose’s people-first approach quickly ensured that the venture was welcomed with open arms. It became more than just a café; it is a community hub. “The community-centred part was never an intentional part of our business plan, it’s just something that happened organically,” she shares. “We love coffee, but it’s the connections that are made over coffee—the conversations and the people you can meet if you’re open to it in this space—that are special.”

Today, Dose roasts its own coffee at a Revelstoke warehouse, sourcing beans from countries like Brazil, Peru, Ethiopia and Kenya. All of their coffee is fair trade, purchased from cooperatives with a commitment to ethical sourcing. The business has grown from just five people, including Pierce and Webster, to a staff of up to 20 people during busy times, with annual sales reaching approximately $1.3 million.

While the Dose brand has grown considerably since its humble beginnings, 2025 marks a new chapter for the team. Due to a legal challenge by another company named Dose Coffee in Canada, the cafe will be undergoing a rebrand. “We see this rebrand as a chance to take everything we’ve learned over the past eight years and evolve,” says Pierce. “It’s not every day you get a second chance.”