Please, do not make your coffee purchasing decisions based on price. A couple of years ago there was some **** on here that said they didn't know why they failed and whined all the time about it. They claimed they were buying "good quality" coffee... for about $6.50 per # wholesale. You can't buy squat for those prices. It's C market coffee or worse. I was paying $9.85 per # 4 years prior to that, and that's because they gave us a good rate. Don't be cheap. It'll always cost you more in the end.
Coffee and espresso are generally different. Yes, you can have SO espresso, but often the roasting curve is different so it may be the same coffee, but it's not exactly the same.
Suppliers? Buy from a reputable roaster. Request samples, buy samples, whatever it takes... TASTE coffees and espressos. This is something you should have been doing for months! I remember sampling about 100-130 different coffee/espresso before we started. (although we've been roasting our own for 8 years) Know which espresso gives the best consistency in your environment. How does it taste straight? How does it taste with milk?
Make sure you've visited a few top quality places throughout the country if you haven't already. I am sure there are some shops in your state or within a state who have competition caliber barista. Visit. Have an espresso or two, maybe a macchiatto or a cappuccino. Know what it should be like and decide if that's good enough, or, if you want to be better. Being worse is easy. Almost everyone does it.
Be different. Be good.
Decide what quality of coffee you want, and pay whatever it costs.
You get what you pay for.
... Go visit 'Spro in Hampden. An example of excellence.
Though, it might seem from outside that coffee shop owners have fun time in their coffee business but it is not really that easy. This business is a "people business", which requires your complete dedication and focus on your buyers' likes and dislikes. 
