State of the Union
Karen here! It’s been a long time since we have blogged, nearly 6 1/2 years! An update has been long overdue. This blog will focus on the growth we’ve had and what is to come.
When we started Packhouse in 2017, we definitely had dreams of more locations in the same style as our Youngsville location but we never knew if they would actually come to fruition. We have been blessed to open 2 additional locations over the years! Although they look a bit different, they have the same vibe. The same wonderful baristas, the same drive thru experience, and the same delicious coffee. More to come on our other locations in another blog.
Another dream of ours that came to fruition was the roasting of our own coffee! We read the books, watched the YouTube videos, consulted our friends at Lake Gaston Coffee Company, and BOUGHT THE ROASTER. It’s been a fun new trade to learn and master over the years. We have also grown in our roasting enough to sell coffee through our website as well as sell to other coffee shops and large establishments through wholesale accounts. More to come in another blog specifically about our roasting processes.
Customers. The growth in the amount of customers and the “regulars” we have on a daily/weekly basis is the most heart-warming growth. According to Square, our point of sale system, we have had over 38,000 customers over the years. 57% of the customers we had in 2023 were considered “regulars” with daily or weekly visits to us. I can’t even believe it sometimes; the loyalty. We do try to reciprocate the love. We sponsor the teams, we give the gift cards to raffles, we donate to the schools, we patronize your establishments, we use our regulars for everything we can (landscaping, plumbing work, HVAC, taxes, haircuts, etc), and we always try to right our wrongs when they do occur. We genuinely care about you and the part you have played in our small town success.
Another aspect of our growth that I’m extremely proud of is our job creation. We currently have 35 employee and are hoping to hire another two this week! I can’t speak for our employees/coworkers, but I see all 35 of us as another family. We love each other and we try our best to take care of each other in and outside of work. We pay well, you all tip well, we promote from within, we provide a 401K with a percentage match, and most importantly, we try our best to cultivate a happy and pleasant work atmosphere. Lindsay (my sister and business partner) and I genuinely care about our coworkers and we have high hopes that they feel it. I think it shows through our customer service as well. It’s authentic because we’re happy to be here.
With all the positive growth, we have had our struggles that should be noted. It’s not always peachy keen at Packhouse, and God never promised us a life without struggle. We’ve had employees leave for college or different jobs (always hard on us), we’ve had business ventures for new locations heartbreakingly not work out, we’ve survived through the Covid mayhem, we’ve had a cancer diagnosis, and we’ve had death. Life is sometimes messy and hard, but on the other side, we’ve also seen God’s healing hands and direction through it all.
Packhouse continues to grow and we’re excited to see where we’ll go. We will continue to focus on the rural communities we love so much. We promise to provide an update on our latest location soon!