Donkey Coffee and Espresso: All About the Community

Donkey Coffee & Espresso Owner Christopher Pyle and Manager Jake Householder see the shop and Athens County, Ohio as the embodiment of community. Founded nearly eight years ago as an idyllic cross between Chris’ love of music and his desire for a community coffee house.

“I wanted it to be like a record store.” Chris states. “A comfortable place where there is always great music playing and people can geek out over art, music or life. The large back room houses a stage which is the site for weekly open stage nights, poetry readings and live bands.”

Getting Starting

To determine feasibility, Chris enlisted the help of the local Small Business Development Center, a partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Ohio Department of Development. The SBDC helped create a survey aimed at students and community members to gauge desire for a new coffee shop in the area.

“We noticed a need for something like this in Athens.” Chris recalls. “We wanted to have live music, art, community and social justice stuff. We thought that there was a niche for that, and the survey was really helpful in determining that it was true. Part of the process involved hiring a consultant and trips to coffee shops around the country. “We took our time with it and did a lot of research.” Chris says. “If there wouldn’t have been the need for a coffee shop like ours, we wouldn’t have opened it.”

Clearly the research and planning have paid off. Donkey is routinely voted the best coffee in Athens by the Athens NEWS annual reader survey and they have also been cited as the best coffeehouse in the state by Ohio Magazine. “When we first opened we had three or four employees.” Chris explains. “Now we have sixteen employees plus the sound guys, Jake, my wife Angie and myself.”

Social Justice

Donkey is a strong supporter of local, national and international causes and is committed to promoting justice through public awareness, serving, and financial giving. The Justice Room in the downstairs portion of the shop showcases information from some of their many partners including the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and World Vision.

The idea of social justice runs very near and dear to Chris’ heart as you can hear in his voice when he states, “It’s really important to us that we sell fair trade coffee and sweat shop free merchandise.” The tag line, Caffeine with a Conscience, is far more than a catchy phase.

Building Community

While most of their startup loan went into the unique aesthetic of the space, a large chunk of their time has been spent creating a keen sense of place and community. “We want people to join us in our love for all these things.” Jake exclaims. “Donkey is more like a public square than anything.” Chris chimes in, “That’s a great point, I’ve often said that if we are open just to sell coffee and make money it’s not worth it.”

The online Donkey store is a prime example of this premise. While a minuscule portion of their business, with just an order every week or two, they see it as a rousing success. “That’s the really cool part about it.” Jake effuses. “Due to the area colleges Athens is really transitory, the online marketplace has allowed us to connect with people even if they leave the area.”

Ultimately Athens County has provided the ideal setting for the shop. “Being on the edge of Appalachia makes for a really interesting community when paired with the university.” Chris muses. “There are a lot of people with cutting edge ideas, especially when it comes to art and music, blended with the culture of the region. Athens County is really distinct and different from anyplace I’ve ever seen.”