We are seeing the trend of more and better local coffee roasters popping up in towns of all sizes, compared with the previous trend of large corporations selling coffee in grocery stores. I believe there are two reasons why this is happening: a desire to support local business and connect with the local community in an increasingly globalized world, and more importantly, the realization by more and more people that fresh roasted coffee tastes much better than stale coffee. This is a welcome development you should take advantage of.
Fresh coffee
You need very fresh coffee to make good espresso at home. Anything older than 3 weeks after roast does not make good espresso. One option is to buy coffee online, but a pound of coffee is not that expensive, and shipping charges end up as a significant percentage of the price you pay. Having one or more local coffee roasters in your town is a great way of getting your beans for espresso.
These local roasters must have the roast date on the bag; you should not buy any coffee that does not have the roast date on it. You should not buy anything older than one week after roast, otherwise your window for using the coffee is too small. Most roasters roast each blend or origin they sell at least weekly. You can ask them which day they roast the coffee you want and come by the day after to buy it, so you know it is fresh.
Many roasters and local cafes will also offer you a free cup of coffee with your bag of beans.
Benchmark your skills
While you are there, order an espresso or a cappuccino so you can compare how you are doing making espresso at home. Local cafes and roasters have better, more expensive equipment, and in most cases their baristas are skilled, so chances are their drinks are better than yours. However, with everything we recommend on this website (both for equipment and technique), your results should not be far off for typical espresso blends. If they are very different, chances are you are doing something wrong.
Talk coffee
When the cafe is not as busy, you can cask them about equipment or the newest coffees they are trying or are planning to roast. Local roasters and quality cafes usually are appreciative of your educated interest in their coffee, and you might make some new friends this way too.
Conclusion
Local roasters are a great resource for fresh coffee, local community building, and knowledge. Giving them your business enables you to get fresh coffee locally and them to stay in business in your community.
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Great Espresso at Home 