Todd and Lisa Williams were looking for a business opportunity when they came across the Dunn Bros. Coffee franchise. Originally a Minnesota chain, this husband and wife team liked the Dunn way of doing business, one that focuses on in-store roasting and a sense of community. So this spring, they opened the shop in the Village of Pewaukee (1463 W. Capitol Dr.), and will hold grand opening festivities April 29-May 1.

"We don't brew coffee or sell any beans after they've been roasted for three days," Todd says. "We believe in the freshness concept. If you were to taste a bean that was roasted two months ago and one roasted fresh, you can taste the difference in the coffee."

The roasting is a complex process that requires different temperatures and timing, depending on where the beans are from and what coffee flavor is desired.

"There's so much going on when you're roasting," Todd says. "You have to be always thinking about what you're doing and the changes you need to make to it."

For now, Todd and Lisa are the only roasters at the cafe. Todd spent two weeks in Minnesota while he learned the ropes of roasting and talked in depth about coffee and beans with the Dunn Bros. master roaster. Todd says coffee can be paralleled with the complexities of winemaking. Both grapes and coffee beans involve different growing regions, flavors and specific processes after harvesting.

Every roast is done in six-pound batches. Each batch takes between 14 and 17.5 minutes to complete, depending on the roast being performed. People are fascinated by the roasting contraption, says Todd, which eventually provides them with their caffeine fix for the day.

"It's a huge draw, and it's a really neat piece of equipment that looks good in the store," Todd says.

But it's more than the in-store roasting that has attracted customers so far. There's also a sense of community at each Dunn Bros. Coffee shop.

Each Dunn Bros. shop features the work of local artists and musicians. Todd currently has some local bands booked and is continuing to look for more. The shop will have live local music every Friday and Saturday night, and local art will be displayed on the wall space that will change every month.

The shop also provides customers with free wireless Internet access and a drive-thru window.

The Dunn Bros. Web site is at dunnbros.com under locations, Wisconsin, Pewaukee. The café is open Monday-Saturday 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday 7 a.m.-9 p.m. An events calendar is also available at the Web site.