Photo | Courtesy of Aero Coffee Roasters
Aero's opening of its Marlborough location comes as the coffee industry is dealing with the fallout from President Donald Trump's tariffs.
July 25, 2025
Coffee entrepreneur behind Aero Roasters planning to open second location in Marlborough
Photo | Courtesy of Aero Coffee Roasters
After opening the company's first location in Northborough in 2020, Peter Femino is working to open a second Aero Coffee Roasters location in Marlborough.
Peter Femino, a landscape architect and not a coffee drinker, stumbled into the coffee business, starting with a right-place, right-time opportunity. His design firm needed a café, and the idea of launching something new was appealing.
Twenty-seven years later, Femino has owned several coffee shops and remains focused on delivering high-quality coffee and baked goods. Today, he is the owner of Aero Coffee Roasters, which has one location in Northborough.
By the end of this year or early next year, Aero plans to open its second location, inside Marlborough's Alta French Hill apartments, located at 303 Lincoln St. The building has 267 units, creating a built-in customer base through residents. Even if just half of the residents stop by for coffee, it provides a strong foundation before factoring in additional outside customers, Femino said.
To address the challenges small businesses face in retaining staff within today's competitive labor market, Aero plans to hire operators for its new location instead of traditional store managers. These operators will function as owners, taking on the full responsibilities of running a store, including staffing, scheduling, and performance oversight. This approach offers opportunities for individuals who may lack the necessary resources to open their coffee shop, Femino said.
To incentivize employees, Aero plans to implement a profit-sharing bonus pool. Once the store becomes financially stable, a portion of the profits will be set aside each quarter and split up and distributed to the operators. Over time, Aero intends to expand eligibility to include managers and long-term employees.
“The reality is it's the staff that really makes the business successful. I'm just here to give guidance and kind of plug holes, and run the business as a whole,” Femino said. “But it's the staff that made me want to think I can replicate this. The idea to expand was more based on the staff production than my willingness to open up another store.”
Aero’s new unique staffing model blends elements of a franchise and co-op without shifting full financial risk onto employees, he said. This structure allows for career advancement through escalating financial incentives and leadership opportunities at each tier. Supervisors are eligible for promotion to management, and managers to operator roles, with pay increases. Performance accountability is crucial; if operators underperform, others are waiting to step up, ensuring standards are maintained properly.
Driven by wanting to avoid commuting to Boston from his Marlborough home, Femino discovered the ideal Aero location in Northborough in 2020. This spacious venue allows him to serve coffee, sandwiches, and baked goods, alongside roasting his own beans.
The new Marlborough location will allow for an expanded lunch menu, meeting the needs of the growing on-site population.
The President Donald Trump Administration’s plan to possibly implement a 50% tariff on Brazilian coffee, potentially as early as Aug. 1, is a huge concern for the industry, Femino said. Brazil is the world's largest coffee exporter and sets the global marketing price for coffee, according to Reuters. The economic climate has made sourcing and pricing coffee more unpredictable than ever, and coffee roasters like Aero are assessing alternatives to Brazilian beans in their blends.
Despite rising costs, Aero is committed to affordability without compromising the quality of its products, Femino said. With many small businesses charging higher prices, Aero prefers a customer-driven approach, aiming to build loyalty through value and consistency. This strategy becomes more challenging as costs for eggs and other ingredients rise, putting financial pressure on small businesses that can’t compete with large chains like Starbucks or Dunkin'.
Aero roasts its coffee at its Northborough location, sourcing beans from around the world, specifically the top 1-3% of specialty coffee. The company has personal contracts with producers in countries such as Colombia and Burundi.
Aero introduces customers to new flavor profiles by rotating a wide variety of single-origin coffees, offering a range from light to dark, helping ensure there's something for every coffee drinker.
For Femino, his devotion to his business isn't just about being successful or competing with large corporations; it's about the people. Aero has built something meaningful, a positive work environment, loyal customers, and a business people love to be a part of, he said. Even with ongoing pressures, Aero is still committed to maintaining a welcoming atmosphere and high standards.
Femino is already thinking of the next step, with plans for a possible third location already in motion. Plans for a third location will depend on the success of the first two stores and their teams, he said. Growth will only happen if the staff proves they can take on leadership roles and maintain company values and performance standards.
Aero remains focused on quality first, whether a product is gluten-free or vegan, he said. The bakery team is encouraged to be creative and continuously introduce new items, with a general two-week rotation to keep offerings fresh and exciting for returning customers.
While Aero isn’t a dedicated gluten-free bakery, it does offer a variety of gluten-free and vegan options made fresh in-house. However, Femino is transparent with customers, especially those with severe allergies, about the possibility of cross-contamination due to shared kitchen space.
“I hear it all the time from my customers and other people, even from my staff, it's just a positive vibe around here. And that's just how we've always kind of conducted our business. And it's not always sunshine lollipops, but we do our best to create a fun, workable environment.”
Lucy Coran is an editorial intern for Worcester Business Journal and a rising sophomore at Smith College.
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