Lekko Coffee

Lekko Coffee Roasters is a Cleveland coffee roaster and cafe built on living-wage principles. Founded in 2021 by Matt and Laura Ashton, Lekko aims to pay a living wage at every step, from the farmers who grow its coffee to the baristas who brew it, buying green coffee from importers that pay equitably and basing wages on published local living-wage figures.

Matt Ashton, a French horn player who came up as a barista, opened the first cafe at 2529 Detroit Ave. in Ohio City in 2021, followed by a small Warehouse District cafe at 826 W. St. Clair Ave. on New Year's Day 2025. In 2026 Lekko moved its roasting into a larger roastery in downtown Cleveland's Twist Drill Building to grow its wholesale and retail coffee.