Years ago in the sleepy little crossroads known as Hebron (did y’all know it used to be called Briar Patch??), an independent drugstore named “Your Pharmacy, Inc.” was opened by Jim Tepe (and Chuck Karlosky.) Part of the charm of that “Little Drugstore with a Big Heart” was that all of the Tepe Family worked there. We (there are 12 siblings) all pitched in at one time or another working the pharmacy counter or the front counter. Now the front counter was definitely the place to be: you could get a cup of coffee, a donut, a “Stewart” sandwich or soup. Of course, you could also get ice cream cones, sundaes, shakes & malts. Stella Mae & Ella Mae manned the front counter with Ella Mae also helping behind the pharmacy counter. Connected via an internal door was the barbershop with the mischievous Mason Boots in residence.
Farmers, truck drivers, bus drivers, and friends would all stop in for coffee and sit for a spell at our counter. (Can you see where this is going?). We served Wallingford coffee brewed in a 2 pot BUNN system connected to our water line. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee was such that to this day, the aroma takes me back to the days of the drugstore. Now this system had a wire that sensed when the pot was full and brewing would shut off. Remember that mischievous barber, Mason? Well, he would sometimes pull that wire out and let our coffee overflow!! He was always up to something!! (perhaps more of those stories later….)
Now, the aforementioned locals that would drink our coffee would also chat with each other. This communication, this back and forth, is what I remember fondly. Coffee was a catalyst to conversation. Conversation leads to communication and communication leads to community. Community leads to sharing with/caring for each other. Wendy, Liz, and I want our coffee (sharing our coffee) to be that catalyst to conversation, that handshake that starts a friendship, the shared moment that begins healing.
That is “Why coffee?”
Well, all of that and I didn’t mention our business. Let me introduce you to Archer & Co. Roasters. If you read Wendy’s blog post, you know that Archer & Co. Roasters is a women-owned (Wendy, Mary (sisters) and Liz (Mary’s daughter) specialty coffee roasting company. We are a KY Proud manufacturing company that offers our products both online and in our facility, where we have a storefront (well, it's a wall with all of our products on it). We offer single origin coffees, blends, premium teas (loose leaf, sachets, pillows) and an awesome hot chocolate mix. We invite you to try one of our products, challenge you to start a conversation, and know that all of our customers are in our prayers. Also, we have bills to pay, so buying our products will really help us out!!