AIR DATE JANUARY 12, 2023
Title: Coffee with a Cause
Emily checks out Orlando coffee shops that value community.
Guests
Bynx LLC, Owners – John Reid & James Reid
Downtown CREDO, Rally President – Ben Hoyer
Creating a Community, One Cup of Coffee at a Time
When people find common ground, some amazing things can happen. Even a simple conversation over coffee can lead to big ideas and positive changes.
I recently spoke with the Reid family, who developed Bynx. John and James, a father and son duo, created this local coffee shop to also serve as a vintage market and a place for live music. John told me their business is a concept he always had in his mind.
“James had just completed a second degree in recording arts, and so the concept of a coffee bar, first edition books, live stage, and, I guess, music memorabilia and vinyl was the core, and I asked [him] did he want to add on a recording studio,” John said. “Considering he’s been a musician since he was 15 and he’s got a second degree in recording engineering, it was a concept probably 7 or 8 years ago and came into being just during the pandemic.”
The Reids aren’t the only family who thinks a cup of coffee is a big deal. I also spoke with Ben Hoyer, who co-owns Downtown Credo. “I had gotten convinced that our quality of life is more tied to who we are becoming than what we have,” he said. “If we could become people of meaning, impact, and community, then no matter how much stuff we have, we’ll like our lives better.”
Having a Sense of Community Helps to Unite Us
When we feel like we’re part of a community, it makes us become part of something that feels greater than ourselves. It is a chance to connect with others, strive toward personal goals, or have a safety net when tough times occur.
“What’s the most rewarding [thing]?” said Hoyer. “Stories of people come to mind. The farther down the road I get of starting businesses or nonprofits, I realize what I like about that work is the people.”
“I think every coffee shop has its own identity, has its own M.O.,” said James. “If you go into any coffee shop, especially the small businesses, it reflects what the owners are, their interests, their hobbies, and where their hearts are.”
You need great coffee to start a business like Bynx or Credo, which means local shops find success by supporting growers’ communities globally. Each sip we enjoy helps another family put food on their table. “In one origin relationship we have with the group of growers in Mexico, 94% of what we spend on the coffee goes directly to the growers,” said Hoyer.
Coffee Creates an Extension of What We Define as Home
“You need to be part of a community, and you also need to build your own community,” said John. “I think for us, we grew up with a pretty direct North Star in terms of our values, and I think I took that to my corporate career for 30 years.” You can find Bynx at the corner of Church and Osceola, ready to welcome you with open arms if you’re searching to find your community.
“Getting to do things with my friends is the most satisfying,” Hoyer told me. Sometimes, I can’t believe that for over a decade, I’ve gotten to build stuff that I love and believe in with people I care about and enjoy.” You can connect with Credo on Instagram via @DowntownCredo.
