Blog: Fortezza Coffee still feels like home in Downtown Fort Wayne

For young Fort Wayne residents, it might be hard to remember a time when Fortezza’s window seats didn’t decorate the storefronts of 819 Calhoun St., shaded by striped red and yellow awnings. 

The craft coffee shop has become a fixture in the Downtown dining scene, perhaps as much as its elders across the street, The Dash-In and 816 Pint & Slice. 

Whether you’re grabbing a quick latte to-go at the counter, working by the windows in the adjoining storefront or hosting meetings in the backroom, you feel like you’re in the heart of the action Downtown.

For owner Sean Wang, that’s how it’s felt from day one. Wang recalls his opening day behind the counter about 11 years ago in April 2014 when Fortezza was the only craft coffee shop Downtown. Construction delays renovating the historic building setback its grand opening several months, so the city was buzzing with anticipation.

“It was nuts,” Wang says. “The first day, there was such a big crowd coming in.”

Since then, Wang says every year so far has had its ups and downs, making a roller coaster motion with his hand. And Fortezza? “It’s just riding along,” he says.

Despite economic uncertainty, changing times and ventures (or tourists) that come and go, the shop remains small and resilient. “The definition of a mom and pop,” he adds.

For Wang and his wife, Melody, Fortezza and its predecessor Trionfale Espresso on Dupont Road have been “a way to make a living” for their young family. And in many ways for Wang, coffee is life. A longtime connoisseur of international coffee culture, he’s traveled the country and world to experience different blends and events, like cuppings and latte art throwdowns — some of which he’s helped bring to Fort Wayne to build up coffee culture here. 

His shop was the first in Indiana to install the made-in-Fort Wayne modular brewing system called Modbar circa. 2013, which revolutionized the coffee shop experience by moving bulky brewing equipment beneath the counter. Stop by Fortezza on any given day, and you’ll likely see guests – often friends of the baristas on duty – easily interacting across the counter. 

Wang says Fortezza’s baristas, and the regulars they attract, have evolved over the years. Some of his former staff now work for the Italian company that owns Modbar – espresso machine maker La Marzocco – which you might not realize, also has a presence in town. In a storefront at 1701 Fairfield Ave., they test and ship their world-class coffee appliances, sending packages to homebrewers across the U.S. postmarked from Fort Wayne.

In other words: “They’re putting Fort Wayne on the map for the coffee world,” Wang says.

And for him, it’s part of what makes the Summit City an interesting – and perhaps unexpected — place to work in the industry. There are talented “coffee people” coming in and out of town for events and meetings. There are opportunities to learn new techniques and to help others grow. 

Over the years, Fortezza has hosted a few pop-up events in partnership with local chefs, like Rune and Le Bosc. It’s switched up its hours post-COVID and is now open on Sundays (which Wang says are becoming one of his busiest days). It’s started selling popular pastries and weekend brunch items baked by Melody and her mother, Junko. (In fact, they’re putting together a special Mother’s Day box, featuring the crafts of several local makers from flowers to cards.)

Wang is still looking for what’s new and next in coffee, too. Right now, he has his eye on another up-and-coming Fort Wayne company brewing wider varieties of organic decaf coffee called Selfsame. 

“It used to be: if you loved coffee, you didn’t want decaf,” Wang says. “But decaf is getting popular now, and Selfsame brews more varieties of it than I have seen coffee companies do before.”

But all in all, Fortezza is about the same as it’s always been. Tried and true. Friendly and familiar. Sticking to its Counter Culture Coffee blends as the only local shop that brews them.

And as Downtown grows and changes around it, it continues to provide a space that, for many, feels as comforting and reassuring as their morning coffee ritual itself. 

Try it!

This month, The Local is partnering with Fortezza to bring all paid subscribers a Buy One, Get One FREE deal on a hot or iced latte, or its daily batch-brewed hot or iced coffee. So grab a coffee date, and learn how to claim your offer here.