“Does Haiti have good coffee?” Sean Kilpatrick, Beyond Mountains Coffee owner, asked himself years ago. After selling his coffee through farmers’ markets and e-commerce, Kilpatrick has finally opened a sit-down coffee shop. The shop officially opened on July 27 in downtown Grantville, and customers should “expect to see craft signature drinks that have been made specifically with the coffee in mind,” tea, and an all-vegetarian menu. Kilpatrick is not only looking forward to the shop’s providing a gathering place for his community but also to providing “high-end quality [coffee] at a blue-collar place.” He continues, “Midtown and Buckhead are not the only places that deserve quality coffee.”
Kilpatrick had previously thought to open in Newnan a couple of years ago, but COVID-19 changed his heading. When public events started again, he reached out to Doug Frost, a developer in Grantville who was fittingly hosting an exhibit of the Haitian artist Jean Michelle Basquiat. Kilpatrick was interested in providing an espresso bar for the early hours of the exhibit. “I met Shawn, and then, the quality…” Frost said, “I knew instinctively that his coffee is good. At the end of the day, you have to have a good product…to be all in with what you do.” Believing in Kilpatrick’s product Frost invited him to use the space on the corner of Church and West Broad Street.
The story behind the coffee is an interesting one. Kilpatrick, also a pastor at Moreland United Methodist Church, spent time living in Haiti, teaching and organizing mission projects. After his return to the United States he attended seminary at Emory University and now serves local congregations of the United Methodist Church. He says, “When I left Haiti I wanted to maintain some level of connection; but ministry, non-profit work in vulnerable places like Haiti is not something my values align with. I have witnessed more transformation through the work of for-profit businesses that operate with a moral, ethical compass.” This ethos runs throughout his business as he has worked with communities and co-ops “to secure the highest quality coffee as well as guarantee that the farmers who produce this coffee receive the best compensation they can for their efforts.” Utilizing coffee that has been diligently and humanely sourced is a must for Kilpatrick.
Patrons have been singing Beyond Mountains Coffee’s praises for years. Austin Bachinski of Peachtree City says, “if you’ve already had their coffee, it speaks for itself. Once you’ve had it, you can’t keep from coming back.” He continues, “The barista remembered my order, and those personal touches make it so warm and inviting.” Kilpatrick greatly appreciates his long-time customers, “it is my hope that in some way or another, being gathered together in this cafe, experiencing the story of the coffee, we will partner up with one another and share in each other’s journey through the mountain range we are all navigating.”
Visit the Beyond Mountains Coffee crew at 11 Church Street, Grantville, Georgia 30220, Wednesday – Saturday from 7: a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The shop closes Mondays and Tuesdays to roast the beans. Click here for the website and find them on Facebook here.
