People of Meatpacking: Richard Agudelo from Terremoto

Meet Meatpacking coffee connoisseur Richard Agudelo, Owner of Terremoto. Terremoto began from Ric’s passion for espresso and a desire to elevate New York City's coffee scene with exotic and rare varieties. His focus on community building has led to countless meaningful connections and memorable experiences within the shop. With Ric’s knowledge and past career as a photographer, he has curated a unique blend of design, art, and music to his one-of-a-kind and inviting shop in the Meatpacking District.

MTPK: How did Terremoto get started?

RA: I love espresso and at the time there were no real shops with exacting standards for coffee. In my other career as a photographer, I had the pleasure of traveling the world and trying different places and thought I could bring a different approach to coffee here in NYC with exotic and rare varieties. If you want a ton of milk in your exotic pour over, cool, that’s you. If you want to understand and learn about it and we don’t have a line, we’ll sit and discuss it. I always ask staff to leave their problems at the door and welcome people in. There is that quote out there, “You don’t know until you walk in their shoes.”

MTPK: What do you love about the coffee businesses? Where did your passion for coffee originate?

RA: The sense of community we have been able to build with Terremoto… First as just a place to meet, hang and catch up, but the stories of actors, directors, musicians and creatives of all types that have met here and gone on to create cool projects. The people who have met here waiting in line or sitting next to each other and are now married with kids. During the pandemic, the jazz community that we built. Literal living legends had their first post pandemic show here as there was nowhere else to play. People had their first post pandemic outdoor day dates here. The thank you messages we still receive today from people that moved away is so heartwarming. We get holiday cards from people as far as India and Australia.

My heritage is Colombian and my grandfather had coffee farms. The smell of coffee was always a constant in our household. When I started tasting good espresso that didn’t have to be drowned in milk and sugar to be palatable, is when I realized what coffee could be.

MTPK: What elements do you bring to Terremoto in shop - art, music, etc.- to make it different from other coffee shops?

RA: I think my design and creative background shine in the design of the shop and the art we display along with the musical choices we make help to offer an inviting space to visit.

MTPK: What do you love about working in the Meatpacking District?

RA: The community we have built in the District and the way the BID team does programming to get the community out. Meatpacking seems to be at the center of cool with the wonderful bordering neighborhoods, Chelsea and the West Village, along with about every subway line within a few blocks. Add the riverside walks, it’s perfect. There is a sense of community I haven’t seen happen much in NYC. Most people all know each other, when we see each other on the street we say a quick hello. Not something seen often in NYC.

MTPK: What is your personal coffee order?

RA: Single origin espresso.