The emerald waters and white sands of the 30A Beaches seem to attract entrepreneurs of all types – and Donavan and Kasey Perry of Coastal Coffee Bar Company are no exception.
Open since 2019, Donavan and Kasey realized a unique niche need in the area events market and have been happily providing custom craft coffee bars to weddings and other catered events in Walton, Okaloosa, and Bay Counties bringing the “coffee shop culture they love to the community they love.”
Kasey recently shared the story behind this innovative South Walton business, and what’s ahead for these two creative locals.
What was the inspiration behind Coastal Coffee Bar Co.?
We lived in Mississippi and owned a photo booth company for six years prior to living here. After we relocated to the 30A area, Donavan started working locally for a caterer, and we talked about getting back in the wedding industry. Donavan has always loved coffee and had some experience working as a barista and managing a shop. He noticed there was a need for specialty coffee at the weddings he worked on 30A. So we decided to jump in!
How does your business work – what kind of services do you provide?
Coastal Coffee Bar is a full-service mobile coffee bar serving unlimited custom drinks to guests at events and weddings. Our full-service bar set up provides everything the customer needs: an espresso machine, grinder, two baristas, organic milks, syrups, compostable cups, lids, straws, and even the coffee shop vibes. The only thing the customer provides is 5’X5’ feet of space and a dedicated power outlet. That’s it!
Are you originally from the area/how long have you been here? Why do you feel 30A is a great place to own a business?
I am originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, and Donavan is from Durban, South Africa. We have lived here for over six years. 30A is a great place to own a business for its obvious beauty. But what we really love is that the people who run businesses here work incredibly hard to create excellent products and services to serve the area.
Why did you choose to serve Amavida Coffee?
When we were initially speaking about the idea of coffee at weddings, we were immediately told by several people that if we wanted to do something with coffee, we needed to talk to Dan Bailey at Amavida Coffee. We set up a meeting and realized how much we needed their expertise. Dan and his team were a big part of helping us bring Coastal Coffee Bar to life. They assisted with everything from purchasing equipment, to design concepts, to barista training, and product fulfillment. They were with us every step of the way in the beginning. We really have a great working relationship which is invaluable. On top of all that they roast some amazing coffees, and their staff always go above and beyond to serve us and make us look good!
What is the best part about owning a coffee company?
For selfish reasons we have free coffee drinks whenever we want! Honestly though, it is all about the people we serve. It is a joy to participate in all the ways they celebrate. We have met some incredible people along the way, many who we now call friends!
Do you have any plans to expand your business in the future?
We just purchased a second bar set up that we used this summer to do a cold brew only bar. We also purchased a second machine to be able to service multiple events on the same day or take on larger events. The plans are to add more equipment and bars as the demand is there and the level of service is maintained. We also are working with some people in other markets trying to launch coffee bars on the consulting side.
Please share any additional fun or important details about your business:
We love customization! We work with our guests to theme drinks. We can do custom stamped cups with logos or names. We can do stencils on top of the lattes with initials, logos, phrases in cocoa, or cinnamon. Even our bar can have custom signage made for the event.
One fun thing is Donavan started drinking coffee in South Africa around the age of two in a bottle. He has always loved coffee. I on the other hand didn’t drink coffee until we started the business (at age 42!) Now I love it!
My current favorite drink is Iced Mexican Chili Mocha, and Donavan’s is Lavender White Mocha.
Keep in touch with Coastal Coffee Bar Company on Facebook at www.facebook.com/coastalcoffeebarco or Instagram at @coastalcoffeebarco.
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