Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Hanvey.
Hi Jason, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always been passionate about food. As a kid, I was glued to the TV watching Julia Child. While academics were never my thing, I found my grove in culinary school in Austin, Texas. I worked at numerous restaurants eventually working as an Assistant Kitchen Manager at a Carrabba’s in Williamsburg, Virginia where my wife finished law school and we had our first child. I took a 14-year hiatus to be a stay-at-home dad raising my four kiddos –now aged 9, 11, 13 and 16. As my youngest entered kindergarten I knew I had to get back into the food scene.
On a family vacation in Florida, we saw a huge line wrapping around a coffee shop. We decided that if that many people were waiting for coffee it must be good and decided to give it a try. That’s when we fell in love with Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. We reached out about opening our own store and the rest is history.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Opening a new business is a lot of work. Small business owners always tell you that, but until you dive in, you don’t realize how much goes into finding a location, building out a space, marketing a new business, motivating your staff, keeping items stocked… The list is never-ending!
As you know, we’re big fans of Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Founded in 1989, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii is a rapidly expanding, premium Hawaiian coffee chain. We source beans from family-owned coffee farms in Hawaii and work to craft the perfect drink for every customer. As you enter our store, you will be greeted with the Aloha spirit. You can grab a cup of 100% Kona coffee, a spicy chai, or one of our signature Beach Bliss lattes — a delicious white chocolate and macadamia nut treat. We also offer frozen Koffee Koolers and Mana energy drinks for those hotter Texas summer days. Unique to our Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii in MCKinney, you can also grab a traditional Hawaiian shave ice. While you’re there be sure to check out our unique merchandise, like a Bad Ass baseball cap or coffee mug or a sweatshirt featuring our mascot, Jack, the ultimate bad ass.
We also host community events and partner with Donkey Equine Haven USA. Our store has adopted our very own donkey, Jack McKinney, who has been known to visit the shop from time-to-time.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I grew up in Abilene, Texas and every year or so we’d get to venture over to DFW for a trip to Six Flags. It was always something I looked forward to.
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