Waynesburg couple opens new shop 2 days after child’s birth
Drew and Laura Johnson hold their son, Scout, inside Waynesburg Coffee Co. on North Morgan Street in the borough.
Drew Johnson of Waynesburg pours a cup of coffee at his new shop, The Waynesburg Coffee Co., which opened Aug. 16.
Customers enjoy the dining area of the new Waynesburg Coffee Co. on North Morgan Street in the borough.
Drew and Laura Johnson recently opened their coffee shop located at 25 N. Morgan St. in Waynesburg.
WAYNESBURG – It was the busiest week of the year, and possibly of their lives, for Laura and Drew Johnson.
The Waynesburg couple had planned for months to open their coffee shop in the borough, but they weren’t expecting that to happen just two days after having their fourth child Aug. 14.
“It was like a stress test, not in a bad way, but like, ‘Let’s see what you’re made of,'” Drew said. “There were definitely stressful moments, but it was a good benchmark to know what this is going to be like.”
The couple had been planning since February to open a coffee shop in the borough. On Aug. 10, the couple had received all their final approvals and inspections to open their café, The Waynesburg Coffee Co., at 25 N. Morgan St. The following day they ordered their products.
“We wanted that hometown vibe where everyone knows your name,” Laura said.
Their specialty is coffee. They get their beans from Washington County and grind and roast them on-site. They also serve gelato from Angelo’s Restaurant in Washington.
On Aug. 14, Laura went to the hospital for her scheduled caesarean section, and they had their fourth child, Scout. Drew spent most of the following day on the road picking up products. They opened their doors to customers Aug. 16, which was the day Laura and Scout were released from the hospital.
“I took him straight to the coffee shop,” Laura said. “He went there before we even brought him home.”
Laura, a cosmetologist, and Drew, a musician, said while they’ve always wanted to run their own shop, they understand “any business is a risk.”
“We wanted to open on as minimal a budget as possible,” Drew said. “We’re all about working with other businesses and we understand that you have to cater to your demographics.”
Their target patrons are business professionals in town and Waynesburg University students and faculty, Drew said. He said the week they opened was around the same time college students were moving back into town for the semester.
“It was pretty good timing,” he said. “We’ve had college students and staff in here every single day.”
Some of their lunch specials include chili dogs, pepperoni rolls, baked goods and fresh salads and sandwiches. They also plan to make fresh soups and seasonal menu items.
“That’s nice, easy food for the college kids,” Laura said.
Drew hopes to change what he suspects is a perception that businesses can’t thrive in Greene County. One way he hopes to do that is by helping residents on a smaller scale by hanging a prayer board in the dining area of the shop. Drew said if people have a need or prayer request, they can leave it on the bulletin board and other patrons can pray for them. He said that maybe down the road, he would be able to use the board as a community service and put a collection jar out for people to give to those in need.
“Greene County is a great place,” he said. “But there are people who are struggling and we want to be able to help them and affect change whether by praying for people or giving a listening ear.”
The Waynesburg Coffee Co. is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays with plans to expand into weekend hours in the next few weeks.