Jerad Howard
Vesta Coffee Roasters | Las Vegas, NV
April 2026
Although he was born in San Diego, California, Jerad Howard grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada. At 15, he got his first job as a dishwasher at Crêpes Pierrette. He then worked as a busboy, food runner, server, and line cook at a local Italian restaurant before landing a gig at Grand Lux Cafe. Burnt out, Howard eventually left the hospitality industry and got into design and marketing. He spent time as a designer, art director, and front-end developer before becoming the Head of Product for a data infrastructure company, Switch. While there, Howard started feeling restless. In 2014, he channeled that energy into a new hobby: coffee roasting.
Howard spent the next few years perfecting his technique and casually browsing empty local spaces. Then, with encouragement from his friends, he got serious about opening his own business. Two years later, Howard left his job and opened Vesta Coffee Roasters in Downtown Las Vegas in 2016. With an emphasis on sourcing from farmers directly at points of origin, his rotating selection of coffees are roasted for balance and sweetness in equal measure, while highlighting the unique characteristics of the origin and processing.
In 2020, just after the pandemic, Howard opened a second location in Summerlin/Sahara, growing an expanded bakery and pastry production facility. He followed that up with two more locations at The Durango Casino & Resort in 2023. With four locations, and another on the way, Howard is committed to providing a welcoming space for locals and visitors, serving not just coffee and drinks, but an in-depth food menu with world-class pastries, salads, sandwiches, and more. Beyond Vesta, he owns a bar called Viking Mike’s Alpine Yurt Bar, and he supports the community through arts initiatives and by fundraising for local and national organizations like Red Ribbon and the American Civil Liberties Union.
