If you drink coffee in Columbia with frequency, perhaps you have already happened upon Shortwave Coffee, the newest addition to Alley A. But unless you know where to look, you might have missed this hidden gem, which opened earlier this year.

Tucked away in the alley between South Ninth and Tenth Streets, the coffee shop first opened its doors in February, filling the void left by the space’s short-lived former occupant.

Shortwave’s name comes from owner and operator Dale Bassham’s father and grandfather’s days in radio. Shortwave radio, he explains, allows for the transmission of messages over long distances via radio signal. Bassham sees “coffee as a signal.”

Countless hands have worked on the coffee as it travels from bean to cup, Bassham says. It’s “bounced” so to speak, just like a radio wave bounces as it travels to listeners.

With Shortwave, Bassham hopes to strengthen that signal by bringing out the subtleties in roasts — think notes of citrus, melon and chocolate. And just as radio communication can bring people together, Bassham hopes Shortwave can bring Columbia’s coffee addicts together.

What sets Shortwave apart from the others in Columbia’s heavily-populated coffee scene is its carefully selected light roasts. Bassham says he views coffee as a “seasonal product” and offers just a few roasts at a time to ensure every cup is made with beans that are in season, ripe and of the highest quality. He likens this judicious selection of beans to that of a master vintner making a fine wine.

The menu features traditional espresso drinks, with nothing over 12 ounces. At Shortwave, the goal is simply to roast some good coffee.

“Coffee is the star,” Bassham says.

Bassham expresses a desire to become more involved in Columbia scene.

“(We) hope to be as plugged into Columbia as we can, building relationships and becoming a part of the community,” he says.

One way he’s getting the Shortwave name out? The shop sells coffee to a few local grocers, including Lucky’s Market and Clover’s Natural Market. He’s also working with Broadway Brewery to create — wait for it — coffee beer.

The roastmaster, who’s worked in the industry for the last decade or so, has had stints at various Missouri coffeehouses, including Grace Cafe in Cape Girardeau and Kaldi’s in St. Louis. He came to Columbia in 2011 to live with his wife, Laura. Bassham says he loves the city. He’s a fan of the olive oil shop next door (“the mark of a good town”) and the diverse groups of people he’s seen walk through his doors.

“Everybody drinks coffee — every group, every ethos,” Bassham says. “(At Shortwave), everybody is welcome.”