A good cup o’ Joe is all Dave Elman ever needed.

“I’ve always loved coffee,” says Elman, a former IT salesman and owner of North Village’s new Fretboard Coffee.

But he’s also passionate about music.

“It’s what I’m familiar with,” he says.

Elman’s musical taste ranges from classic rockers like Led Zeppelin and The Who to more recent artists, including The Head and the Heart and Arcade Fire.

“I knew a lot about (making) music but not coffee,” he says.

So in 2008, he began learning everything he could about the coffee-making process, filling his Brooklyn kitchen with sacks of coffee beans.

In 2012, he and his wife, Julie, moved to Columbia, as the quirky college town seemed like a good fit for both Dave’s budding coffee business and Julie’s career; she’s currently a women’s and gender studies professor at MU.

On Nov. 1, after enjoying success at both the Columbia Farmers Market and stores like Clover’s Natural Market, Fretboard Coffee opened its doors at its permanent home behind Ernie’s on Walnut Street.

“We talk about coffee in terms of music,” Dave says.

For example, he describes one dark roast as having “a good bass to it”; another roast has “high notes.”

Dave listens to music throughout the process, whether roasting, brewing or serving. When MOVE stopped by, the shop’s speakers were playing Bon Iver, whose deep, intricate and otherworldly sound perfectly echoes the rich complexities in the shop’s Kenya AA Kichwa Tembo blend.

Dave also hopes one day to incorporate live music into the experience. Just as local businesses have been supportive of Fretboard, Dave hopes to support local artists in Columbia.

“Small, local bands don’t always get the love they deserve,” Dave says.

He would know: he and his wife played in a band together back in New York, with Dave on bass and Julie on guitar.

In addition to supporting local musicians, Elman is making an effort to support the producers of the coffee beans Fretboard uses by serving many varieties that are Certified Fair Trade Organic.

“It’s important to us to (sell fair trade-certified products) so that we can be fair to everyone involved (in the coffee-making process),” Dave says.

The certification not only means that the producers will be fairly compensated; it also means that no chemicals or pesticides are used to produce the beans.

“It’s not the cheapest, but the tradeoff is worth it,” Dave says. “We’re trying to do the right thing.”

Another way Elman is using Fretboard to “do the right thing” is by implementing eco-friendly practices, such as using paper products made from recycled materials, keeping a compost pile and giving customers the option of having their receipts emailed or texted to them.

Fretboard also gives customers the option to make their own custom blend, on the off chance they can’t find a blend to suit their fancy.

“So much of coffee (drinking) is subjective,” Dave says. “It’s about (a customer’s) personal experience.”

With good music and great coffee under one roof, this hidden gem won’t stay secret for long.