Waller's Coffee Shop opened in February 2019. We moved into 240 Dekalb Ind Way in Aug 2017. That was a year and a half of paying rent without being officially open. The community believed in the mission from the get-go, and every time we've needed it, loans and fundraising have moved us along each month. The original format was mental health outreach, coffee, and live music.

I believe we have kept to that mission for the last 8 years. We've had to pivot a couple of times to try and make it more efficient and sustainable.

We now operate as a Community Event Space from 6pm-10pm and a Coffee Shop from 8am-5pm.

Although every pivot and change we've made over the years has worked to bring more business, we haven't been able to get out from under the debt and past due bills and financial setbacks that every business faces. The struggle has been real and exhausting.

The support from the community has been the only way we would have gotten open and the only way we have been able to stay open. It's been a labor of love for me. The business has been more of a burden on my family than a source of income. The journey has been amazing and eye-opening. Overall, I am proud of what we have accomplished and how far we've come. I'm proud that I've been able to employ 10 or so people at a time, to donate to local non-profits, and to have offered such a welcoming and inclusive space for the community. It's been worth it!

Alas, we still struggle. The government needs their monies, our patient and gracious landlord needs their money, as well as the banks, the loan companies, the vendors, etc.

I've made the employees and the inventory my priority, but even that has been taking a hit recently.

I continuously work to tighten our systems, to make better choices, and bring in more events. We've begun curating more of our own events as well as continuing to rent the space out to the community. Some options on the table include shortening cafe hours, offering more food events such as brunch and dinner options, more catering, audio/video recording sessions, a cookbook, more merch options, and even raising prices. We've got a lot of ideas but limited time and resources, so we do our best to keep the ship upright and choose small actions that can bring big results.

My family life recently has required me to be away from the shop more these last few months. I'm so proud and grateful to the staff for keeping things together and continuing to be kind and helpful to the customers. We carry on. We do our best. We have yet to turn the corner of profitability. We have survived so many hard times, so no reason to think we won't make it this time.

So here's the next fundraiser. I'm interested in personal loans that I can pay back over time. I'm interested in selling a piece of the business. I'm interested in hiring a business manager to help with the financial decisions. I'm interested in event or fundraiser ideas. I'm not giving up, but it seems like every time I get in a pinch, it gets worse and worse.

We have come so far!

What we've created together is worth fighting for!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Jason Waller