Jackie's Java, which closed its doors in 2024, began in 2004 when Jackie, a student at Colorado State University, started roasting coffee in her boyfriend’s garage. Motivated by her passion for coffee and a lifelong dream of owning a café, Jackie emptied her savings at 20 to buy a commercial coffee roaster. Her initial plan was to master the craft within a year and open a café with an in-house roaster by the time she graduated. However, she soon discovered that roasting coffee was much more challenging than anticipated, taking her a year just to produce drinkable coffee.

After a year of practice and accruing credit card debt, Jackie finally perfected her roasting skills and took her coffee to the Fort Collins farmer’s market. Unbeknownst to her, one of her first customers was the owner of a local coffee shop. This owner returned the following week, praising her coffee as the best he’d ever tasted and asking Jackie to supply his café. This unexpected opportunity led Jackie to become the exclusive roaster for a prominent Downtown Fort Collins café. Despite never advertising, Jackie's reputation quickly grew, leading to a thriving coffee roasting business.

For nearly 17 years, Jackie dedicated herself to building Jackie's Java. In September 2020, the business entered a new chapter when Jackie sold it to Chris and Stefanie Mecklenburg, a local couple with a decade of retail experience from running a liquor store. Introduced by a mutual acquaintance, Chris and Stefanie were already fans of Jackie's coffee. Jackie taught them her roasting techniques, ensuring the business would continue to thrive under their ownership while staying true to her vision.

Jackie’s Java grew significantly over the years, thanks to her hard work and determination. As Jackie moved on to enjoy her "Snow Bunny" lifestyle, the Mecklenburgs carried forward her legacy until the company’s closure in 2024.