That previous location, she said, was also not sustainable long term for a few reasons.
One, there was an inability to have a drive-thru, a staple for any coffee shop wanting to succeed, and the parking was limited.
After touring 604 High St., Sarah said she and her husband felt it “was kind of a no-brainer for us.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
And within the first week of being open, Davis said the shop had already reached the peak customer levels it had down the road.
The Fringe isn’t like any other coffee shop in Butler County. It’s been a place for second chances as it’s a place to give those previously incarcerated a second chance, just like Patrick and Sarah Davis, who had been incarcerated. In a story earlier this year, the Davis’ told the Journal-News they have also been a respite for those who are homeless.”
Currently, they have 11 people employed and want to bring on three more, but the jobs at The Fringe aren’t designed to be long-term.
“The goal has always been not for this to be a permanent position for someone,” Sarah Davis said. “We want them to go one and pursue whatever their dream is. Their career goals.”
The mission of The Fringe may alter slightly to include people recovering from addiction.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
“Maybe if they haven’t been to prison and they struggle with recovery, if we could give them a job and provide them that sense of community to keep them from going to prison, we feel like that is an equally important mission,” she said. “We’re kind of broadening our hiring criteria, I guess you can say.”
While the Davis’ dream is to see The Fringe Coffee House in every major city in Ohio, short-term, they’re looking at continuing to help people closer to home. They’re planning to open a transitional living space for people coming out of prison, as “housing is a barrier.”
HOURS OF OPERATION
The Fringe Coffee House is open seven days a week. Here are their hours:
Monday through Friday: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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