A business rooted in heritage, Oldhand Coffee is an Abbotsford staple. Just steps away from your door at The Rail District, this café offers specialty coffee that is well sourced and perfectly roasted. With luxury treats like blueberry scones topped with an earl grey glaze and the feeling reminiscent of walking into your grandmother's living room, this place is comfortable, welcoming, and wholesome.
We are so excited to have this business in the backyard of The Rail District. Wanting to know the story of Oldhand Coffee, we were thrilled to chat with Kristina, one of the owners of this local establishment.
How Oldhand Began…
Both born and raised in Abbotsford, this is where Oldhand Coffee owners, Kristina and Johannes van Vloten, met and married. To explore outside of their hometown, the couple moved to Victoria then Vancouver where they spent several years learning the specialty coffee industry. The pair instantly fell in love with the culture, embracing the precision that goes into producing, preparing, and drinking divine coffee.
It wasn’t until they moved back to Abbotsford that they discovered a gap in the market. While most street corners were dotted with coffee chains and grab-and-go options, they longed for the attentiveness and taste specialty coffee provided. “We wanted to create something so people don’t have to leave [Abbotsford] to get something high quality,” said Kristina. With refined palates, a finessed skillset, and a dream to elevate the coffee-goers experience, they opened their own café. Almost 8 years later, they continue to provide a curated selection of specialty coffee, baked goods, take-home equipment, and natural wine to the community of Abbotsford.
A Home Away from Home
Oldhand Coffee combines luxury and indulgence, familiar and specialized, home and heritage. Together, these facets curate a unique experience that locals and visitors are drawn to, day in and day out. Both born of European ancestry, their origins are instilled into both the baking and décor of their café. With treats that feel and taste homemade, photos of their grandparents displayed throughout, and cross stitching hanging on the walls, their café feels familiar not only to them, but to their customers too.
Now the proud parents of two daughters, Oldhand Coffee continues to grow and thrive. “It feels so heartwarming to have people continue to show up and be loyal after all these years,” said Kristina. With over 80% of their business coming from ongoing regulars, it’s obvious that locals appreciate the comforts of familial value – and really good coffee.
Oldhand Coffee x Downtown Abbotsford
A place brimming with boutiques, restaurants, and cafés, Downtown Abby is home to many thriving businesses. “It’s been cool getting to know other small business owners,” said Kristina. “We’ve seen places come and go, become friends with fellow owners, and have built a really inclusive community.” In Kristina’s experience, Abbotsford is the kind of place where business owners can rely on their neighbours to lend some milk and sugar. With a “collaboration over competition” mindset, Downtown Abby is a “community not fighting for business but is supportive instead.” This is a rare and beautiful find, privy to the ongoing growth and success of the local businesses as well as the community as a whole.
Even after facing the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic, locals banded together to find their way through. Oldhand Coffee in particular found an innovative way to adapt by becoming a bottle shop selling a curated selection of fine, natural wines. With a large selection not found in your average liquor store, Kristina and Johannes are helping people “drink a little more thoughtfully.” While no alcohol is served in-house, people can bring home low intervention wines with minimal ingredients added for stabilization. The results? A wine that is handmade rather than mass produced, carries the flavours of its origin, and is handpicked by people who prioritize quality above all else. With the tagline “nothing added, nothing taken away,” natural wine inspires curiosity and allows drinkers to truly taste the difference, just like every product sold at Oldhand Coffee.
Quality & Community
Throughout Downtown Abby, quality is evident. A close-knit community that values inclusivity, support, and innovation, we are so proud to introduce The Rail District to the area. As a new development, it is so rare to build in a community that is already so well established. Typically, the buildings come first, and the sense of community follows. However, with the cute stores, charming cafés, and variety of businesses, people are not just moving into a master-planned neighbourhood. With The Rail District, they are entering a community bursting with culture, success, and connectivity.
