The Spro is our interpretation of coffee as we see it. It's an experiment and an experience beyond what you've come to expect from the average coffee place. Our focus is on quality coffees and quality ingredients to make the best beverages we know how.

HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY

The Spro started off as sort of a side project, as a means to express coffee in a way that was previously not possible under the umbrella of the earlier project: Jay's Shave Ice. At Spro, coffee could come unto its' own and be the focus.

The approach was decidedly different. For espresso, it was a refinement of technique and processes. For coffee, it meant a change to French Press and a move away from drip brewing. While the traditional coffee operator mindset was to move towards more automation and premade ingredients, at The Spro we took a deeper hands-on approach.

For us, it was decided steps away from automation and premade ingredients. We wanted to embrace older techniques that required more skill and more labor. Our espresso is still made by hand from a barista who has been trained in the traditional fashion of one person handing down the skill to the next person. An organic process that is in a mode of continual change and refinement.

Our movement away from premade means that we take a thoughtful approach to our ingredients. Our dairy, eggs and farm products are carefully sourced from local artisans who care not only about the food they produce, but also about the community and our environment. Our commitment manifests itself also in our hand-made syrups flavored with natural ingredients and 100% pure cane sugar.

Our focus is to deliver to you the best quality product that we possibly can. It is an on-going pursuit that never ends for just when you think you're about to achieve perfection, you realize that it's fleeting and you start over again.

When you come to The Spro, we want you to enjoy yourselves and feel welcome while enjoying our offerings. We're not perfect and we do make mistakes, but we hope you'll consider yourself on this journey with us and let us know when you're happy but, more importantly, let us know when we've faltered a bit.

OUR STAFF

JAY CARAGAY - Barista/Owner
With a background in the motion picture industry, Jay is the guiding light for all things at The Spro. Trained in the Seattle style of coffee-making by John Sanders and John Hornall of the fabled Hines Public Market Coffee, he brings a focus on quality and a commitment to customers. Over the years, Jay has also owned and operated Jay's Shave Ice and The Ono Grill, both in Timonium.

A regular in the specialty coffee scene, Jay has competed since 2004 in the United States Barista Championship, a finalist in the 2004 Millrock Latte Art Competition and served as a director for the Barista Guild of America. On the international scene, Jay has done machine calibration for the World Barista Championship, trained judges for the Mexican Barista Championship, and served as a judge in Ethiopia and Canada for their national barista championships.

Jay has also been featured in publications such as: Christian Science Monitor, Hawaii Magazine, Honolulu Weekly, The Baltimore Sun, Barista Magazine, Imbibe Magazine, Towson Times, Baltimore Magazine and Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

ARIANNA TRAVAGLINI - Barista
Originally hailing from Southern New Jersey, Arianna has been with The Spro since the early days. With prior experience at Mullica Hills' Crescent Moon Cafe, Arianna has been a working barista for three years. A student at a local university, she spends her summers ttraveling and has visited China, Japan, England, France, Italy and Germany.

BONNIE HOHMAN - Barista
A former trainer for Starbucks, Bonnie has been with The Spro since March 2007. Bonnie brings her chain retailer experience in exchange for the hands-on approach to quality at Spro.

ALAINA STENGLER - Barista
Straight from the mountains of Eastern Pennsylvania, Alaina brings a love for food to the craft of barista while studying for her masters degree at Towson University.

CRISTY SANTIAGO - Barista Trainee
Our barista trainee from Puerto Rico will be back in the spring.

ANA MONROY - Barista Trainee
Our part-time barista trainee from the library.

FORMER STAFF

ALLIE CARAN - Barista
With roots in the art world, Allie worked at Spro during the Summer of 2008. She is now continuing her work in coffee as the Barista Chef of Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore creating some of the most exciting coffee creations to hit the nation.

RUTH GOODLAXSON - Barista
Our designated "pinch hitter", Ruth attended college in Pennsylvania during the year and complimented our crew during her vacation months from May 2007 to July 2008.

KATIE DRUMM - Barista
Originally trained as a barista in Michigan, Katie joined the Spro Crew in December 2007. She will be moving to Senegal in West Africa in April 2008 before moving onto her career in science in Boston.

GLENN McCUMBER - Barista
Glenn joined our crew on Halloween night 2006 and responded to Arianna's demand that he "wear a costume" by arriving in a cape and chainmail headdress. To say that he "dressed the part" would be an understatement. In March of 2007, Glenn and his wife Beta left Baltimore on a whirlwind tour of Planet Earth where they toured Europe before heading home to their native Oregon. Glenn is currently working with our friends at Stumptown Coffee's The Annex in Portland.

BETA McCUMBER - Barista
Joining her husband Glenn at Spro in November 2006, Beta lived a dual-life as a barista at Spro and working at the nearby Starbucks - an interesting proposition to say the least. After their tour of Planet Earth and settling in Portland, Beta now works as a freelance journalist and is writing an article about her times working a The Spro and Starbucks which will appear in the June/July 2008 issue of Barista Magazine.