What if the mood boost you get from starting the day off with a warm cup of coffee has more to do with your overall coffee experience than the coffee itself? If you stop by Be Kind Coffee Co. on your way into the office, your morning slump will disappear as soon as you set foot through the front doors. You will be greeted by a bright, friendly staff and smell the aroma of lattes, tea and house-baked pastries in a charming Clemmons coffee shop. To top it all off (extra whip, please!), giving back is just as much a part of Be Kind Coffee’s culture as creating high-quality coffee and tea beverages for customers. Staying true to its name, Be Kind Coffee Co. specializes in serving kindness in a cup.
What makes Be Kind Coffee Co. stand apart from other coffee shops and cafes in the Triad is its emphasis on philanthropy and helping those in need. In fact, even the shop’s coffee beans are rooted in a good cause. Mother-daughter duo and co-owners Amanda and Natalie Gogolak ensure that customers’ cups runneth over with coffee beans from Charlotte-based roaster Haerfest Coffee Roasting Co. Founded by Toby Foreman in 1998, Haerfest Coffee is dedicated to employing individuals with all types of intellectual and developmental disabilities, as it allows employees to gain new skills, capabilities and confidence.
Year-round in Be Kind Coffee Co., customers are able to donate to the shop’s Giving Tree, which showcases nonprofit organizations in need of donations and volunteers. On Saturdays, nonprofit organizations regularly set up shop inside Be Kind Coffee Co. in order to provide curious customers with information about their causes. Be Kind Coffee Co. has worked with nonprofit organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Interfaith Alliance of Clemmons and Lewisville to find mentors for local elementary school students in need of companionship and role modeling. This month, the Giving Tree will help support those struggling with multiple sclerosis as Amanda and her husband participate in the Bike MS: Tour to Tanglewood 2023 event on September 23rd and September 24th. Riding will commence on Saturday the 23rd at Tanglewood Park and will resume on Sunday, the 24th. The community is invited to come out and support the riders and stay for the community comradery. The Bike MS team, The Village People, will be set up outside on the Be Kind patio on Saturday, September 9th to help raise funds and awareness for the upcoming ride.
Sweet-toothed customers can benefit from Amanda and Natalie’s Italian and Czech family influences as the coffee shop is often notorious for its decadent and unique selection of house-made baked goods. With Be Kind’s fall menu debuting September 1st, keep an eye out for your favorite seasonal beverage menu items such as the pumpkin spice macchiato, homemade praline whipped cream, jack-o-lantern dirty pumpkin chai latte, pumpkin apple cider and the salted caramel mocha. Customers wait year-round for autumn appropriate baked goods such as pumpkin loaf, apple cake and Be Kind’s beloved Mexican family recipe-inspired sweet empanada with flavors including apple pecan and pumpkin. In true fall fashion, Be Kind will also be hosting a Halloween Bash in October to kick off pumpkin spice season.
In November, Be Kind Coffee Co. will have been a Clemmons staple for coffee and community for three years – an impressive feat for a small family business that started mid-pandemic. Be Kind Coffee Co. would like to show appreciation and gratitude for their extraordinary support over the last three years. Stay tuned for news on how Be Kind plans on celebrating its three-year anniversary party, in addition to upcoming information on opportunities to have photos taken with Santa in December.
Visit Be Kind Coffee Co. in Clemmons on Tuesdays through Saturdays at 3560 Clemmons Road. Keep up with community events and Giving Tree opportunities on Facebook, and follow @bekindcoffeeco on Instagram to stay up-to-date on the latest news from Be Kind Coffee Co.
