Startup connector Thou Mayest closing Crossroads coffee shop, hints at new flagship
November 20, 2018 | Tommy Felts
Thou Mayest plans to shutter its Crossroads coffee shop — a popular collision point for startup leaders and community members — on Christmas Eve, founder Bo Nelson said this week, teasing a pivot to an enhanced wholesale operation and search for a new retail home.
Bo Nelson, Thou Mayest
“This has been an amazing year of change for Thou Mayest. Like many businesses, we saw some bumps in the road this year, and we now have a renewed and inspired approach,” Nelson said in a Facebook post. “We have looked into the future and we can’t wait to share that vision with you.”
Click here to read more about Nelson and his coffee shop philosophy.
“This might sound silly, but Thou Mayest understood the role of coffee,” said Jay Austin, CEO and co-founder at Creators Group and a frequent collaborator at Thou Mayest. “They knew it as a conduit to ideas and conversation. Big ideas and conversations. Naturally, Thou Mayest became the go-to spot for the entrepreneurs seeking that vibe.”
Click here to read more about how coffee culture fuels Kansas City’s startup ecosystem.
Nelson declined to immediately share details of the transition publicly, but hinted at more news to come as the business examines its brick-and-mortar options.
“We are grateful for our time at 419 E. 18th St. and the friendships and community that have emerged in the East Crossroads, and we’re excited to share the next chapter of the Thou Mayest story with you,” he said in the post. “We’re positive that our flagship location will be everything you have come to expect from the Thou Mayest brand and more.”
Wholesale and online operations are expected to be unaffected by the planned 4 p.m. Dec. 24 closure, Nelson said.
Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters
“Even as our retail business has continued to evolve, we’ve experienced tremendous growth in our wholesale coffee program and it continues to operate and grow at an astounding rate,” he said.
As word spread across the startup community early this week, longtime customers of the Crossroads location shared memories of personal and professional connections made at the busy meetup spot.
Click here to read comments about the change at Thou Mayest.
Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters from Summer House on Vimeo.
Featured Business
2018 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Compute Midwest named top national tech conference
Consistently attracting futurists and tech leaders from around the U.S., Compute Midwest recently was named a national tech conference that shouldn’t be overlooked. Inc. Magazine included the annual, Kansas City-based conference on its “Top Tech Conferences You Can’t Miss This Fall” list, noting the event’s traditionally strong lineup of speakers. Presented by the Disruption institute,…
Dozens of skyrocketing KC firms break into the Inc. 5000
Kansas City held its own on Inc. Magazine’s annual ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing, private companies. The Wednesday unveiling of the Inc. 5000 featured 44 metro firms — including several area tech firms, like k12itc and Rhythm Engineering. K12itc, which in January made Startland’s 2016 top 10 startups to watch, delivers cloud-based IT services to…
Backstitch wants to fix a billion-dollar communication dilemma
With the cost of poor business communication climbing as high as $37 billion a year, Backstitch founders Jordan and Stefanie Warzecha saw an opportunity to clear the air. The married couple — who say communication has never been a problem for them — founded their corporate communications platform in 2012. Backstitch aims to mitigate the…
Google Fiber names local duo as digital inclusion leaders
After a successful first year, Google Fiber — in partnership with the Nonprofit Technology Network — has announced its second round of Digital Inclusion Fellows. As part of the program, fellows will create and lead digital literacy efforts in the 11 metro areas with Google Fiber, including Kansas City. Initiatives include assisting adults with high…