Medici was founded in 2006 out of Michael and Alison Vaclav’s desire to build the kind of welcoming space where relationships could flourish. We believe in the potential of coffee to cultivate community by creating memorable experiences through our commitment to hospitality and craft. At Medici, we work with integrity and strive for excellence. We grow the company by contributing our knowledge, our passion and our respect to every aspect of service.

Our namesake is the Medici family of Florentine history, a dynasty that dominated the city’s politics and culture between 1434 to 1737. They first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de’ Medici, during the first half of the 15th century. Cosimo’s power derived from his wealth as a banker, and he was a great patron of learning, the arts and architecture. His legacy lives on in many ways – not least of which, as our portly logo!

Like other families ruling in Italian signorie, the Medici’s dominated their city’s government, were able to bring Florence under their family’s power, and created an environment in which art and humanism flourished. The Medici produced three Popes of the Catholic Church and two queens regent of France.

The Vaclav’s aren’t Italian but there’s something universal here – the desire to build family and create legacy through supportive environments where intellectualism and creativity and community can flourish. The Medici where known as patrons of the arts. Money, influence, and power are not good or bad, it’s what you do with them. The Medici are a good example of doing this very well and very poorly. It is important for us to learn from history in order to live in the present and move into the future.