The man behind The CoffeeHouse in Paintsville, Kentucky, knows what it means to struggle during the Covid-19 pandemic — so he decided to treat those on the front lines to free coffee for a month.
Owner Kyle Melvin bought the shop in January of 2020, just months before the pandemic hit, with a mission statement of “coffee, community, and connection.”
Melvin told CNN he got a good feel for how the business would run before the whole world was turned upside down by Covid-19. Somehow through the ups and downs of the pandemic, he continued to adapt and survive — just him and a part-time worker.
But then Melvin contracted Covid at the end of July… but he managed to keep the store open.
Melvin said business was slowing down in November, so he came up with an idea….any front-line worker — nurse, doctor, a first responder of any kind — and small business owners who have been impacted by it, could come get a free drink.
Melvin’s landlord is also chipping in. In lieu paying rent in January, Melvin gets to keep that money as an act of kindness.
The promotion also hits particularly close to home for Melvin. His dad is a first responder.
Melvin said one of his favorite moments was when some police officers came in for a break during their shift to enjoy a free cup of coffee.
Melvin said, “I was really thankful that my landlord, wants us as a business, to do well, and allowed this idea to come to fruition and we could use this to become even more a part of the community.”