Tribe and Brew has become the staple of the Armuchee High School cafeteria. Having opened in September of 2019, the coffee shop has boasted  many visitors, new and returning alike. “I think it’s really cool that they added different flavors, but the coffee is really great and I’m glad they added it,” said sophomore Laney Wagner. The process leading to the opening of the coffee shop was tedious, having spanned over half a year, with the most complicated obstacle being the building of the shop. It’s origination all thanks to the students of Coach Arp’s entrepreneurship class of the 2018-2019 school year.

    In late December of 2018, senior, Maddy Judd inspired a wish to have a coffee shop on the school’s campus. Soon after the entrepreneurship class began to develop a business plan for a student-operated coffee shop; shortly thereafter, the entrepreneurship class introduced the concept to Principal Rhodarmer. “After approval from Mr. Rhodarmer, who was totally on board, we dove in,” said Coach Arp. The entrepreneurship class sent out surveys to the student body in an attempt to find out what products they should sell. This survey also gave them a grasp of the average price students would be willing to pay.  The class decided that they would sell coffee, which would be available in several flavors: mocha, pumpkin spice, vanilla, butter toffee, and hazelnut, and the creamers were available in caramel, french vanilla, and the brand’s original flavor. They also decided to sell hot chocolate, all of which only cost two dollars.

    Once the business plan reached completion, the entrepreneurship class moved on to set-up and appearance. The challenges to their ideas included: a highly limited budget, a need to maximize on very little space, and the ability to lock everything up and all the while keeping everything mobile. The students began to search the school for answers. In a bid to find the answer to their problems, Mrs. Henderson was quick to step in and offer some unused cabinets residing in her room. Mr. Noles helped the class take the cabinets apart and redecorate them. The decorations gave the cabinets a modern and homey feel, giving the coffee shop a pleasant atmosphere along with holding all of the coffee shop’s equipment. Following the cabinets, Rhodarmer helped the class purchase a counter, “We searched long and hard for something trendy and durable that had additional storage and would fit our space,” said Arp.

    Finally, the class designed a logo for their coffee shop, which would be sent off to an Armuchee alum, who had become a graphic designer. This alum would smooth out their design after the collaboration of the students and send it back to them. The design needed to represent Armuchee, as the class decided. “We chose the design to be simple, represent Armuchee, and it also has a hidden Tee-Pee shape with the coffee steam,” said Arp. Finally, the coffee shop was ready to be opened in August, as the final parts came together in late spring of 2019.

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