Let’s Meet: Tug Hill Artisan Roasters

On the edge of the Adirondacks, right at the heart of Lowville, NY you’ll find Tug Hill Artisan Roasters. Each day, their team rises with the sun to serve delicious, Specialty Coffee to locals & visitors alike.

From its humble roots in a storage barn to a thriving coffee roastery, this business has grown to also include a coffee bar, bake shop and more! All while helping revitalize Lowville’s historic downtown district and provide a unique coffee experience in the community.

Meet the dynamic duo behind the brand that won both the 2023 Naturally Lewis Business Award and the 2023 Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Lewis County Chamber of Commerce. And, learn how local small business funding opportunities helped them get there!

Our team interviewed Scott and Vanessa Gilbert in late 2023.

The team at Tug Hill Artisan Roasters

A bit about how you & your journey to Drum Country:

My name is Scott Gilbert, and I grew up right here in the beautiful North Country. After graduating from South Jefferson Central School in 2003 and then Houghton College in 2007, I got a great job opportunity that took me overseas.

I was working for a non-profit doing small business planning and launches in Russia until it invaded Crimea in 2014. When we left and tried to resettle in the US, we first went to Wyoming, where my wife is from. But job opportunities there were slim, and when my brother’s father-in-law offered me a job driving a truck, it was an easy decision to move our family to Lewis County.

There, we found a safe community in which to rebuild our lives and build a solid foundation to raise our family. By then, we had a one-year-old and another on the way, so we were starting to seriously think about our family’s future.

Lewis County’s low cost of living and New York State’s generous social welfare programs helped see us through that difficult time in our life. And once we started our small business, the many business resources in Drum Country have continued to help us grow.

Why start your own small business? What was your process?

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and got my Bachelor’s in Intercultural Studies with a focus on development. During my time in Siberia, I helped a variety of entrepreneurs start their own small business, and also ventured into the pine nut processing industry.

So after coming back to the States and getting my feet back under me as a driver, I was ready to take the reins myself. Through a few chance conversations, several spreadsheets and lots of market research into specialty coffee, what had started as the seed of an idea soon sprouted.

Not long after, we pooled our money, bought some equipment and built our backyard shed into our first coffee roasting facility. A lot has happened since then, but the process of starting was really quite simple: we just started roasting & selling good coffee.

What Drum Country community partners helped get you to where you are?

Admittedly, coffee wasn’t the first idea Vanessa and I thought of. It was our market garden that brought us into contact with Brittany Davis of Naturally Lewis. We’d reached out with questions about produce and agriculture, and that conversation was the beginning of many.

As our business grew into a space for the whole community to enjoy, we’ve been able to secure several grants to enable this transition. This has included a grant for our walk-in refrigerator to increase production, as well as a facade revitalization grant at the local level.

And when we decided to start renovating the Old Jail building, we were able to lean on several more grants to help make it happen. The New York Downtown Stabilization Project grant helped make the building usable by providing match funding for the removal of asbestos and lead. Additionally, the Restore NY Grant will enable us to restore the building to its original state while expanding its use by creating a space for two residential apartments, an upstairs learning center, a yoga studio and a new cafe on the first floor.

We really try to take advantage of local grants & funding opportunities, because they can really be a catalyst for positive change that otherwise might take a lot longer to accomplish on your own.

Additionally, many of our fellow businesses and local residents have supported us in getting to where we are today! Each new business opened here in Drum Country brings new energy to the area and enjoys strong local loyalty and lasting excitement.

What are some of the best parts of life in Drum Country?

Life is good here. Of course, as small business owners, my wife and I are always busy. But while we work to provide for our family, we know our kids are safe in a good school with teachers that look out for their well-being.

Overall, it’s just a really positive environment. Here, neighbors have each other’s backs and are willing to lend a hand when someone’s in need. Locals support small businesses, and take the time to really connect with each other.

And, of course: it’s beautiful here. My morning drive into Lowville is always one of the highlights of my day, as I watch the sunrise over the Adirondacks. It’s breathtaking. And when we can, my family really enjoys taking in the natural scenery on one of the many great hikes near our home on Tug Hill.

What advice would you give someone looking to start a business in this area?

I would say that if you’re creative and able to look beyond your local markets, you can make a really great business here.

I’d also say that you should look into the many local business resources in Drum Country, especially when it comes to grants and other small business funding opportunities. You can get far with a solid business plan, community support and plenty of determination & grit.