At the age of 17, Nathan Hamood has developed his passion for coffee roasting into a full-blown coffee shop business.

Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters opened on Main Street in Rochester about four years ago. Though the shop was more focused on dessert and music, its initial stages were where Hamood’s passion for coffee and coffee roasting developed.

After extensive research, he convinced his father to invest in a $600 roaster and began roasting in-house.  With a steady growth in business, Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters was able to upgrade to a bigger and more time-efficient roaster soon after.

The coffee shop moved to a larger location on South Main Street in January of 2013. Dessert Oasis has developed its theme into a fairly contemporary with a slight vintage background. The building itself is more than 100 years old, with exposed bricks walls and wooden floors, according to Hamood.

“Coffee roasting is my passion in terms of all the facets – from getting new coffee from new farms, to brewing it, to talking to customers.”

When asked if he’d ever want to relocate, Hamood said, “I don’t think so. I love Michigan and the Rochester area. I especially enjoy the fact that there’s a developing coffee culture in the Metro Detroit area.”

Hamood’s passion for coffee, his hometown, and his customers can easily be seen within the realms of his work and the growth of his business. It’s also easy to see in the heart of the coffee shop itself. The brick walls are refreshed with local artwork each month, local musicians play live every night, and all coffee beans are locally roasted.

Whether it’s art, music or coffee, Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters is known for cultivating beauty through local talent.

“What makes our coffee unique is our attention to detail. Through importers, we work with small farms that produce great quality. We roast in small batches, paying attention to how each coffee should be roasted, and how we brew it as well. Every coffee is brewed by the hand, with the pour-over technique, which allows you to be in more control of the process,” Hamood said.

His current favorites are Burundi and Kinyovu. According to Hamood, Burundi has “red fruits with tropical, almost fruit punch notes,” and Kinyovu is “sweet, but has a full body to it.”

“Coffee should never be really bitter,” Hamood said. “Coffee, when done well should be a sweet, complex drink that you can’t find in any other beverage.”

Nathan Hamood has gotten emails from various roasting manufacturers around the nation, saying kudos on what he’s doing.

“I have a lot of goals I want to accomplish, but for right now, I’m happy with where I am.”

The Dessert Oasis is located at 336 S Main St. It’s open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. For inquiries, call (248) 453-5239.