04/16/2026
Part 12. Beyond the bar
2023–2024
The shop was doing around $100 a day. That was the reality. No guesses or projections, just what was actually happening for months. And it wasn’t enough. Not enough to keep things going, and not enough to keep my pride.
Those days were some of the roughest. It felt like I was stuck in a storefront where I had more opportunity to make money when I was closed than when I was open.
At first, I sat there and hoped more people would start coming in. I tried to push harder, post more. Staying open longer didn’t feel like an option because most days I was just waiting to close so I could roast.
Luckily, I had subscribers and an online store bringing in a few hundred extra dollars a week. That was a huge break. I would drive around town and hand deliver orders myself. It was a nice touch, but it became time consuming.
Instead of blaming people for not showing up to a niche business in a weird location with off hours, I decided to double down on retail.
Up until then, I was packaging coffee in stamped bags. Very small batch, very handmade. It worked when this was a side thing, but it wasn’t built for shelves or for other spaces. It wasn’t built to grow. People were looking at the back label like it was the front, and the front like it was the back.
So I moved away from it and started reworking everything to feel more retail ready. Something that could stand on its own without me there.
At the same time, I started figuring out how to sell coffee beyond the bar. I was sending emails, trying to make connections, and sometimes people would just reach out, which was always the best feeling.
I didn’t have a wholesale program yet. No structure, no pricing, no real plan. But I knew I needed one, and I couldn’t turn away any business.
Thank you to the early subscribers and the first few businesses that took a chance on me during that time. You helped keep this going. Ben’s Bread Co. Side Piece Kitchen Delightful Neighborhood Market Stocklist Goods & Gifts | Tacoma, Washington TheMailRoom Twee Coffee
The shop still wasn’t busy, but I wasn’t relying on it alone anymore.
And that was enough to keep going.
More soon
~Kyle xox
