By Nicholas Wherry, DMA Board Member
“Coffee, Culture, and The Comeback Sauce”
If you’ve never been, Forage Coffee Company sits just outside of Downtown Medford in what used to be an old gas station. And you can still see hints of that history if you look for it. What used to be a place to fill up your tank has been completely repurposed into a clean, modern coffee hangout. It’s one of those transformations that makes you appreciate when someone sees potential in a space and brings it to life.
When you walk in, the vibe hits you right away. It’s modern without being cold. The music is simple and steady in the background. It’s not loud, not silent, just right. You can have a conversation without raising your voice. You can sit and work. You can meet a friend. It feels intentional but never forced.
When asked about how it all started, Jacob shared that at its core, Forage was built around creating a space where people feel comfortable walking in, staying awhile, and trusting what’s being served. Over time, that foundation has allowed them to try new things without losing what made people show up in the first place.
Eventually, the obvious question came up. How did a coffee shop end up serving smash burgers?
When asked about the addition, Jacob didn’t overcomplicate it. “We were just two dudes who wanted to eat burgers all the time.”
There wasn’t some massive rollout plan behind it. The smash burger made sense because it’s simple at its core, but flexible. You can add your own touch. You can experiment. You can make it yours.
The only real secret, according to Jacob, is the sauce, A.K.A. “The Comeback Sauce.”
The first time they made it, he didn’t write anything down. He just started throwing things together. They tried it, loved it, and then realized he had no record of what he’d done. So, he spent about a week recreating it from memory until he nailed it again. That playful curiosity, that willingness to just try something and figure it out later, feels very on brand for Forage. The rest of the burger is classic smash burger style. Crispy edges, melty cheese, simple additions. But that sauce is their fingerprint.
When asked how their regular coffee crowd responded, Jacob said the key was trust. They’ve already built a relationship with their customers. People trust that they care about quality. They trust that if Forage is putting something on the menu, it’s worth trying. That trust has given them the freedom to experiment and build their own culture without losing authenticity. And so far, their crowd has leaned in.
There’s a bigger vision behind it, too. When asked about the motivation behind adding food, the conversation turned to Medford’s food culture. The Rogue Valley absolutely has good food, but there’s always room for more variety, more creativity, more people putting their own twist on things. Adding the smash burger isn’t just about selling more food. It’s about contributing to that culture. It’s about hopefully inspiring someone else to take a risk, try something new, and expand what “going out to eat” can look like in Medford.
As for where Forage will be in three to five years, when asked about the future, Jacob was honest. He doesn’t know exactly. They’ll keep tweaking the menu. It will stay an ever-evolving door of options. Maybe it turns into a second location. Maybe the food side grows enough that a food truck makes sense. Or maybe it stays right where it is, just refining and improving based on what feels right in the moment. Nothing is set in stone.
Forage started as a vision to create a place that people genuinely enjoy spending time in. Now it’s coffee, community, and smash burgers that came from a simple idea and a willingness to try it. In a building that used to pump gas, they’re now fueling something a little different.
FORAGE COFFEE COMPANY
529 East Main Street
Hours:
Monday – Saturday 7am – 5pm
Sunday – 7am – 2pm