Tag: Messenger Coffee

Isaac Hodges, Messenger Coffee Company, and Dan Trott, FairWave Holdings

Fairwave adds another Minneapolis coffee company to its fresh-brewed collective alongside Messenger, Roasterie

By Tommy Felts / August 3, 2022

FairWave Coffee Collective has pulled another shot of growth, serving up news Tuesday of its acquisition of a second Minneapolis-based purveyor in as many years.  “We are thrilled to welcome Up Coffee Roasters to the FairWave collective,” Suzanne Gunning, vice president of marketing, said in a release.  The acquisition keeps Kansas City-based FairWave on track with…

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Daniel Smith and Charon Thompson, Black Drip Coffee, The Porter House KC

Coffee for the culture: Porter House KC founders partner with Messenger to craft Black-owned coffee brand

By Tommy Felts / April 30, 2021

Black Drip Coffee brewed from within a desire to bring coffee culture to historically disenfranchised and underserved communities, said Charon Thompson and Daniel Smith.  “It’s more than coffee,” noted Smith, who co-founded the brand, Black Drip Coffee, as well as the Porter House KC with Thompson. “We always talk about breaking down barriers and creating…

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Jahna Riley, Aya Coffee + Books pop-up at Blip Roasters

Black and bookish: Founder hopes to turn pop-up page, eyeing coffee and book shop on KC’s east side

By Tommy Felts / February 25, 2021

Jahna Riley loves the atmosphere of coffee shops. Connecting with others over coffee and a good book is a personal joy, she said, noting one glaring exception in most shops: inclusivity.   “Kansas City has an amazing coffee scene, but it’s not necessarily one where I see my culture reflected in it,” Riley shared. “I want…

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Andrew Dowis, Pro Athlete

KC Hall of Fame: Pro Athlete named Small Business of the Year for decades-long winning strategy

By Tommy Felts / October 15, 2020

Making stewardship — and “blowing people’s minds” — the strategy for your business isn’t always the easiest approach, especially during trying times, said Andrew Dowis, but it’s the most rewarding. “Push yourself to say yes to that crazy idea that doesn’t make sense for the bottom line but makes sense for the betterment of you…

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Isaac Hodges, Messenger Coffee Company, and Dan Trott, FairWave Holdings

Stronger brew: Messenger blends coffee collective into its behind-the-scenes menu

By Tommy Felts / October 13, 2020

As the smells of Ibis Bakery and roasting beans waft together at Messenger Coffee in the Crossroads, rising between floors of the spacious and vibrant corner cafe, the flavors haven’t changed since COVID-19 began — nor since the popular Kansas City roasterie joined a freshly launched coffee collective, said Isaac Hodges. It’s still steeped in…

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