Welcome to Kairos Coffee in Wilmington, Ohio

We’re excited to welcome Kairos Coffee to the group of independent coffee shops, cafés and bakeries Crimson Cup supports in 37 states! Owners Robyn and Larry Morris and Managers Ciera Hayes and Nick Daulton held the grand opening for Kairos Coffee in June. 

The shop at 1593 Rombach Avenue in Wilmington, Ohio was five years in the making.

“It all began in 2014 on a trip back to Ohio from Kansas City, Missouri with a group of Wilmington College students who said that Wilmington needed a coffee shop and yogurt shop,” Larry said. “The dream blossomed from there.”

Long-term residents of Wilmington, the Morrises have been running non-profits since 2003.  

“We felt that a for-profit coffee shop would not only be a great addition to Wilmington, but could also eventually help to fund our non-profit ministries, as well as to provide another ministry outlet to our community,” Robyn said.

Martin Mann, owner of Jitters Coffee House in Millersburg, Ohio, introduced the couple to Crimson Cup.

“Our friend Martin told us to not even bother trying to do it on our own, but to start with Crimson Cup!” Larry said.

The couple learned how to open a coffee shop through Crimson Cup’s 7 Steps to Success coffee shop franchise alternative program. Based on Ubert’s book, Seven Steps to Success in the Specialty Coffee Industry, the roaster’s 7 Steps program has helped hundreds of independent coffee shops in 37 states open and stay in business.

“We found all of the Seven Steps invaluable in opening Kairos Coffee,” Robyn said. “We also receive excellent on-going support, products and customer service. I can’t emphasize excellent enough.”

Kairos Coffee serves a full menu of hot, iced and frozen espresso drinks – including mochas, lattes and cappuccinos – as well as iced coffee and tea, cold-brewed coffee, hot chocolate, fruit smoothies and other custom drinks. An assortment of fresh baked goods rounds out the menu.

Robyn said her favorite drink alternates between a Raspberry White Mocha or a KC Mocha, customized to her tastes.

“I like to add an extra shot of espresso or extra cold brew when iced or frozen,” she said. “I like the extra!”

Local java lovers have become big fans of the coffee, which is roasted by Crimson Cup.

“They love our coffee!” Robyn said. “Over and over again we hear that it’s better than the coffee served by the big national chain that opened in our local grocery store just two months before we opened Kairos.”

Larry said that people kept asking the couple of they were afraid of the coffee chain.

“Our answer was, ‘No!” he said. “They’re a coffee chain in a grocery chain with no relationship in the community and no drive-thru! We’ve lived in this community for 23 years, are well known, and have a drive-thru! We’ve won over many of the diehard coffee chain fans.”

Crimson Cup coffee has been judged among the best in the nation. The roaster was named 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year by Roast magazine, the flagship publication of the specialty coffee industry. Its Ethiopian Kossa Kebena coffee won a 2017 Good Food Award and was a finalist for a 2019 Good Food Award. Crimson Cup coffees have also brought home trophies and medals from the America’s Best Espresso competition and Golden Bean North America roasting competitions.

Asked to give advice to entrepreneurs who are thinking about opening a coffee shop, Larry said, “Don’t do it alone. Partner with those who are in it to win it – Crimson Cup!”