Scuttlebutts Coffee Receives Small Business Award

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Main News Photo

Joe Young first opened Scuttlebutts Coffee in September of 2015 at 2609 N. Main and then opened a second location in 2016 inside Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.In August of 2018 he closed his location at 2609 N. Main and reopened in his new location July of 2019 at 1125 N. Main inside the Clayworks building.

At Scuttlebutts they pride themselves on using top quality products and try to use as many local vendors as possible.Their coffee is locally roasted in McPherson allowing them to offer unique roasts such as Morning Lori, Luminary, Honduras, Hyde Park Blend and their Espresso that are exclusive to Scuttlebutts. Their roast and flavor profile are smooth and not bitter, which is achieved by using the correct coffee to water ratio.Joe has been certified as a Coffee Master twice in 11 years and has spent time visiting many stores and picking up on what he calls “best practices” which has helped him add value to his operation.

His wife Lori works full time and is the main baker at Scuttlebutts.Her delicious scones, banana bread and cookies have been a hit since day one.Theirs muffins are as big around as the palm of your hand.Baking several times throughout day is the price of admission for keeping their products fresh and available for their customers.

Customer service is one of the behaviors they proudly hang their hat on.They pride themselves on remembering the names of their regular customers and their drink orders.At Scuttlebutts, they work to respect their customers’ time by working efficiently through the drink making process, getting the product right the first time.

While many businesses will say finding good employees is their biggest challenge, Joe has worked hard to either personally recruit his employees or he has found candidates through customer recommendations.  He has rarely needed to post a “help wanted” sign and has had a very low turnover rate, with five out of his seven employees having been with him for over three years.  At Scuttlebutts they also pride themselves in providing jobs that are a good fit for people with disabilities.  At one time they had five employees with a disability and as time and business dictates, he will continue to make an investment into this arena, as it pays with huge dividends with loyalty, respect, dignity and a sense of self-worth.

One unique challenge Scuttlebutts has had is operating amid construction on Main Street.  During his first year, the ongoing construction was a huge hit to their business.  It was difficult branding themselves as a new business in Hutchinson while construction on Main Street continued right in front of their building.  Now their second location on Main Street is also experiencing road construction.  However, they are fortunate to have a loyal customer base and feel that their support will give them the stability they need to remain successful.

At Scuttlebutts they believe in giving back to their community and getting involved where they can.  Joe is a current member of the Hutchinson Executive Association and active with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hutchinson and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Reno County.  Joe has also served on the Hutchinson Zoo Board and in 2017 was named Business of the Year by Prairie Independent Living Resource.

Thank Joe you for all you do for our community!

Category: SBA