Clove and Cedar Coffeebar Brings New Aroma to Bethesda

Cedar and Clove Coffeebar opened in Woodmont Triangle on Saturday, June 8. Owner and Bethesda native, Janet Forlini, had been thinking of opening a coffee shop of her own for about two years, but it took a lot of preparation to get there.

“While researching specialty coffee I learned that people appreciate quality.” said Forlini. “I took classes, and attended conferences, and learned about what you need to do to provide high quality experience.” Through her research, Forlini learned about the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s official flavor wheel, which eventually led her to the name of her cafè. “The name was very intentional; it reflects part of my journey.” she said “In the specialty coffee industry, there are tasting notes like in fine wine. A technical panel has agreed on what they are, and clove and cedar are on the “aroma” part of the wheel.”

Through Clove and Cedar,  Forlini hopes to bring attention to other local businesses. “We promote other local businesses because there are so many wonderful small businesses around us.” said Forlini. “People come in and get to learn about other businesses, so it’s increasing awareness and connection to those businesses.”

From Annapolis’ Ceremony Coffee, to Wight Tea in Baltimore, to breakfast cookies from Sweet Teensy Bakery in Bethesda, Clove and Cedar is well-stocked with locally-sourced goods.

While highlighting fellow businesses, Forlini also supports non-profits around the area like Team River Runner. The non-profit works to help rehabilitate veterans through activities centering around the Potomac River.

On top of these goals, Forlini works to do all of this in environmentally-friendly ways. Clove and Cedar is partnering with organization Compost Crew to promote composting and reduce trash. “A key aspect is that we are trying to minimize our footprint. We compost our coffee cups and all of our paper products are compostable. It took a lot of research and time figuring out what our options were.”

Forlini has worked hard and put in the work to build a solid foundation for her business, and she’s looking forward to the future. “I’m most excited to keep finding ways to support the community and to give back.” she said.

About Abigail Brooke

Abigail Brooke is a Journalism and Emerging Media major at Eastern University. She has worked in news media for two years. She can be reached at abrooke@mymcmedia.org

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