Early Monday morning, November 4, at about 3 o’clock, an infrequent customer of Hyperion Espresso had a crisis and felt a cup of coffee was in order. So he went to Hyperion with a broomstick and broke 72 windows and the glass door.
The alarm went off, and the Fredericksburg police made a quick arrest. “I have a coffee emergency,” could be heard on the surveillance camera recording.
Early Monday morning, Fredericksburg Police responded to reports of a break-in at Hyperion Espresso, where a man allegedly smashed windows to enter the coffee shop.
According to the report, 66-year-old Roger Ruffner, dressed in a trash bag and armed with a plastic pole and broomstick, claimed he needed to make himself a cup of coffee and broke the window to protect himself, believing he was being followed. Ruffner was taken into custody on charges of breaking and entering to commit larceny and felony vandalism and is currently held without bond.
Hyperion fans, take a deep breath – new owner Jack Scholl says your “iconic coffee shop isn’t going anywhere.” Hyperion, a beloved staple in the heart of downtown Fredericksburg, is under new ownership for the first time in its 30-year history. Jack Scholl, a coffee industry professional with deep roots in Virginia, has taken over the reins from Dan and Anna, the original owners, who are moving on to the next chapter of their lives.
Scholl, who has been involved with his family’s 34-year-old roasting business in Rockbridge County for the past few years, expressed his admiration for what the former owners have accomplished. “What they’ve done is legitimately special,” Scholl said. “Thirty years in coffee is pretty unheard of, and they are easily in the top one percent of all coffee shops in terms of success.”
