Today we’d like to introduce you to Brooks Parce.
Hi Brooks, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have been in the restaurant business my whole life. I have served, cooked, bartended, and managed several bars/restaurants. When my wife, Shanell, and I, decided to have a family, we went into restaurant management. After a few years of working many late hours and missed bedtimes with our children, we knew we needed control of our family time. Nothing is more important than family time! After much back and forth, we decided we wanted to get into the coffee business. We didn’t know anything about coffee other than it’s generally a morning activity, which could lead to more time with our family. I have a bit of an obsessive personality and couldn’t help but dive head first into our new endeavor. I read anything available and called/texted/emailed anyone and everyone who would give me the time of day. I met some amazing people in the coffee world who we still work with. We bought the coffee trailer before we had any idea what we were doing other than wanting to sell coffee. It was a giant leap of faith that was incredibly scary. I quit my well-paid and “safe” management job at a local tap house. I went back to bartending to pay the bills. I had to bounce around a couple of bars before making the bills. I remember being in a bunch of credit card debt and not having enough money for the mortgage on the 22nd of the month. It was a rough time. I worked 2 bar jobs and the coffee trailer for a year until COVID hit. It was exhausting and difficult to “keep the eyes on the prize” of personal and financial freedom. Once COVID hit, I lost all 3 jobs, which was a very uncertain time for everyone. We sat back, scared like everyone else, for 2 months before we couldn’t take it anymore. That’s when we went “all in” on Stony Man and went full-time out of the gate. That was a very tough summer as we made many mistakes and acquired even more debt. As time passed, we started to figure things out slowly. By Sept 2020, we added donuts to our blossoming coffee menu and never looked back! We linked up with several local promoters, spreading word of mouth like wildfires. While we still had our hiccups, we figured out a winning formula that people were responding to! I loved working the window and meeting the people who would come up. I never knew when to stop taking, so it was a natural fit! We have always prioritized customer service and the customer experience. Not because it will “make us money,” but because when you treat people well, make real personal connections, and love what you do it’s not even really work!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not smooth. We did not have any outside funding. We poured all of our savings into this. We did all the build-out ourselves because we couldn’t afford to hire anyone. Luckily my father was a carpenter while I was growing up, so I could lean on him and his knowledge very heavily during that process. Then, of course, COVID.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
We are most proud of our variety of offerings and our customer service. We specialize in cold brewed coffee and hot donut holes. We serve them fresh and hot and topped to order. We offer approximately 20 different flavor combinations at any given time; Our awesome specials menu rotates weekly with different coffee, lemonade, tea, and donut offerings. Our customer service sets us apart from the competition. With 14yrs of bartending, we bring the bartender style of service into a coffee/food truck setting. It’s unique and fun! We are nothing without our amazing customers, and we love getting to know them and their families.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Be genuine. Listen and learn. Care about the answers you get. Be generous with your time and respectful of theirs.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Stonymancoffee.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/stonymancoffee
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/StonyManCoffee
