The Pratts have been caffeinating Kernersville for several years, but this week marked a major milestone for Savage Roasters.
The popular coffee roaster opened its first coffee shop at 245 North Main Street, next to Musten & Crutchfield Food Market, on Monday, and its owners spoke to Scope News from the new location.
While fresh, high-quality coffee is a crucial component of the business, Joshua Pratt said it is only part of a much broader vision he and his family have been pursuing since Savage Roasters began in 2020. He explained that community outreach is the driving force behind what they have built.
“Everything we have from this, everything goes right back to the community,” he said. “I mean, there’s no money being made right now in this. We do so much in sponsorships and we do our own charity events. We actually just started our own 501c3 [nonprofit organization] this year, Coffee for a Cause, which is a big deal for us.”
Each month, customers will have an opportunity to round up their total to the nearest dollar, with all the money raised going to a local cause. This month, the proceeds will benefit the YMCA’s Bright Beginnings program.
“We’ve just turned everything to philanthropy,” Pratt said. “And this has kind of given us our little wedge in the community.”
Throughout it all, he said that they have received “an astronomical amount of support” from the community.
Kim Pratt agreed, noting that joining forces with other locals makes the experience even more rewarding.
“We love it when other people get involved in the process,” she said.
Perhaps the most notable example is the 5K run the Pratts initiated a couple of years ago with the goal of supporting those battling breast cancer. From the beginning, the response from local citizens and businesses was overwhelming.
“In everything we do, we put our heart and soul into it,” Joshua Pratt said. “I think in less than two months we were able to put together a 5K, 250 runners the first year, and raise $26,000 after expenses. And the feedback we got was just phenomenal.”
That early success convinced them to make it an annual event, which has continued to grow each year.
“Last year, we had a little more time to put it together and we ended up having 455 runners and raised $50,000,” he said. “We’re doing Oct. 20 this year and we’re looking at probably over 600 runners.”
Little Brother Brewing is on board to host a party following the 5K this year, with sales going directly to the charity.
The list of collaborative community outreach efforts continues, including a scholarship established in memory of a North Carolina Leadership Academy volleyball coach. The Pratts’ daughter, Miah, played on the team when Whitney Fisher was the coach, and the scholarship — along with a special bag of coffee available for purchase at Savage Roasters — is their way of helping to keep her memory alive.
As a proudly veteran-owned business, charities related to veteran causes are also important to the Pratts.
When it comes to serving up coffee, however, the owners say the goal is to provide customers with the highest possible quality in “an environment they feel comfortable in.”
Open seven days a week, Joshua Pratt said he hopes Savage Roasters will become a reliable fixture in downtown Kernersville.
“People drink coffee every day,” he said. “People conversate every day. You know, life doesn’t stop because it’s a day of the week, and that’s how we’re going to be.”
With several other locally owned coffee shops in the area, including Local Roots and Kyle’s Coffee, he said that his goal “is not to push anybody out” but “to kind of keep everyone’s fire lit for entrepreneurs and keep getting better,” which will benefit everyone in the community.
“I want people to drink what they like,” he added. “It doesn’t matter where they go.”
Kim Pratt highlighted the importance of maintaining a “locally oriented” focus, prioritizing community resources from the baristas behind the bar to the construction workers and artisans who have redesigned the space into a full-service coffee shop.
Even as it grows, the business continues to be a family affair, with Joshua Pratt crediting Miah for playing “an astronomical part in building this.”Savage Roasters is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Click here for more information.
Copyright 2024 Informed Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without express written consent.
scopenewsonline.com 