Chain coffee shops have curb appeal but little style. Hipster joints overcharge only to judge customers who prefer milk that comes from cows. There’s the occasional local coffee spot with newspapers and old men lying around, but they’re harder to find.
Meet a new class of roasters, one that doesn’t fit any of these stereotypes: Veterans. Since 2014, when veteran-owned chains Black Rifle Coffee Co. and Compass Coffee gained popularity, retired servicemen and women have been opening coffee shops nationwide. Springfield, Ill., coffeehouse owners Mike and Kelly Donaldson helped explain the phenomenon.
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