We talked to owner Laura Fay about how Spectracolor is so much more than just a cup of coffee—it’s creativity, community and
good vibes.
How did the concept of Spectracolor Coffee come about?
Spectracolor came from a love of hospitality and beverages. About five years ago, I left a brewery called Separatist Beer Project, which I owned with a partner. I decided I wanted to do something on my own and possibly find a beverage I could craft myself. At the brewery I did all sorts of things that I really enjoyed—creating products, design, managing, creating retail spaces, distribution, etc., though I did not brew the beer. When I left the brewery, I took some time to explore other beverages and fell in love with coffee. I loved the creative and social vibes around coffee and café culture. I loved that the beans came from warm tropical places like Central America and Africa.
I dove in and did not exactly know where it was going to go, but at some point I realized I wanted to do the many things I did at the brewery: create a product and share it in a space with the community.
Vibes are a big deal at Spectracolor! Tell us about how you want your customers to feel in your shop.
What I loved about when I was just a barista is that I felt like I could give people a token for their day. A pretty latte or a fun drink is always a small pick-me-up. It may not be high impact, but it’s something positive and it can be daily. Spectracolor’s motto is “Fully Vibe”—we want to help people vibe through their day, whether that includes lounging, hanging or accomplishing things. We are open every day 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. So whatever your day looks like, we are here for you and whatever it is you want to do and feel.
What do you believe makes the perfect cup of coffee?
The perfect cup of coffee I think is so relative. I would say it is mostly shaped by the customer and the moment—what their mood is, what they are doing, what they want to taste and smell. The best cup of coffee is a drink that fits a certain moment and a certain customer. When I am in Istanbul and want an authentic experience and have time, I stop at a café, play some backgammon and have a traditional Turkish coffee. On road trips down to South Carolina, I stop at a Wawa and buy a huge coffee with lots of milk in a paper cup so it lasts me for 300 miles. And then there are the specialty coffee roasters in New York City like La Cabra, where I look forward to having amazing service, a beautiful space and the most dialed-in cup for my beverage and a wonderful cardamom bun.
How many and what types of blends/roasts do you offer?
Spectracolor has four core blends: Luster, an anytime blend; Black Out Theory, a dark roast blend; Mood Ring, an espresso blend; and Lo-Fi Crush, a decaf blend. We also have seasonal blends that rotate throughout the year. We also do single-origin releases on a monthly basis. Our Remix series of single origins is probably our most popular. It usually features a natural processed bean with a fruity profile.
Tell us about what specialty drinks you have on the menu!
We create specialty drinks that are fun but also have a culinary focus. We want the flavors to be balanced and not too sweet. We always consider that if a customer wants a sweet drink, they can always add sugar on their own to their desired sweetness level.
Our best-selling drink that people always ask about is our Strawberry Spin Off, a summer drink that uses Nesquik strawberry milk to create a latte with our espresso, matcha or chai. I’ve heard it compared to a strawberry milkshake and also a Neapolitan ice cream.
What can customers find in your shop besides coffee?
All of our pastries come from The Modern Crumb in Easton Public Market, and they make us two special cakes on the weekend—one is always a pineapple upside-down cake.
Our green teas are from Kettl in Brooklyn, New York. They specialize specifically in green teas sourced from Japan. We get our chai from Dona, which is also located in Brooklyn and is woman-owned. We like to support woman-owned businesses whenever possible. We also have a small assortment of teas from
Spirit Tea.
What kinds of events do you host? Is your space available for rent?
Spectracolor is much more than a coffee shop; it is also a community gathering space, and I hope a place where people can come and find inspiration. Our events create a fun, vibrant environment for our customers. Every fourth Saturday of the month we have a WKND Blend, which features a local baker and a local maker. It’s usually bakers who do not have a brick-and-mortar location but are looking for a way to get their goods out there. We’ve had From Lino, Circle Donuts and Crumbs Cake Studio, to name a few. The maker is a craftsperson from the area, also without a brick-and-mortar. It creates an opportunity for them to share what they are doing and make connections with others who are creating and making. I make it a point to include other woman business owners.
The space is available to rent after we close each day at three. I have been partnering with Hausbar, which is a mobile pop-up bar that specializes in events to add a nightlife or brunchy lounge feel to events if needed.
Do you collaborate with other local businesses?
We love to. I really enjoy giving creators and makers a space to do their thing and collabbing with them. We are building up our event schedule. Every month we hold WKND Blend, and we have another event called Ambient Lounge every third Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Local musicians spin or play ambient music. It creates a great study or work lounge feel in the coffee shop. We hope to do more events going forward.
1247 Simon Blvd., Easton | spectracolorcoffee.com
Published as “Get the Goods” in the April 2025 edition of Lehigh Valley Style magazine.
