Who We Are
The Burrow Coffeehouse Cooperative is a worker-owned co-op dedicated to the Louisville community through serving good coffee, developing an ethical business model, and building strong relationships with the individuals and organizations around us.
We don’t just want to provide amazing artisanal coffee – we want to use our coffee shop as a platform to reach out to and lift up the individuals and community around us. The Burrow is an inherently radical space where mutual aid, community support, honesty, and loving kindness are centered. The heart of The Burrow lies in embracing folks that are deemed "outsiders" by mainstream spaces.
We plan to partner with non-profits whose missions target several areas of need in our community, from environmental protection to LGBTQ+ advocacy to houselessness, and we are excited to announce our partners as we get closer to opening our doors.
Our Members dedicated a lot of time and attention into crafting our Mission, Vision, and Values for our business so we can pour them into every cup of coffee we craft for you. Keep scrolling to read more about what makes The Burrow so different from your usual coffee spots.
Our Mission
To foster a strong sense of community, familiarity, and safety for every patron through our coffee.
We exist to:
Help marginalized communities by working with non-profits to create a web of resources for anyone in need that walks through the door.
Partner with community-oriented organizations to increase their access to the community at large and provide a consistent stream of donations through donating 3% of profits from drink sales.
Create an ethical workplace that allows our members to all have living wages, benefits, and a voice in their work environment.
Serve balanced and well-crafted artisan coffee and pastries, with ingredients and beans sourced locally whenever possible.
Our Vision
To build deep, lasting connections with local organizations and nonprofits, and develop meaningful relationships with everyone who walks through our doors.
How we’ll do it:
Build community by offering events, providing connections to resources, and creating a safe space for everyone.
Provide support for non-profits organizations, and businesses that share community- and people- forward missions.
Follow ethical business principles to ensure our consumption and treatment of members aligns with our company's values.
Our Values
At The Burrow, we strive to live our values, not just tout them. They are the heart of every decision we make, and the expectations to which we hold ourselves:
Fostering a Culture of Equity
To us, dignity and equity are deeply intertwined. Providing a work and community environment where everyone is valued is crucial in emphasizing both. We believe in fostering equity in both social and financial situations, a cooperative business structure best reflects this.
Embodying Inclusivity
Not just thinking about it, but acting in accordance with inclusivity by: having intentional and ethical practices, having a diverse team, providing training for interacting with diverse populations, and setting standards in our expectations in patron interactions to ensure all feel welcome. Our non-hierarchical approach allows everyone to have a seat at the table.
Emphasizing Craftsmanship
Our coffee is artisanal from start to finish, and we want to allow the art of creating coffee to be heard, seen, and tasted.
Practicing Compassion and Loving Kindness
We act with kindness first. We understand that we often set the tone for our patrons' days - we want to choose compassion at every turn, and we believe that there is always room for improvement. Our members are trained in handling difficult or new situations to help us execute this value.
Building Community
Our goal is to create a space that people can count on to find resources for help, comfort in a warm beverage, and safety from the elements - both physical and mental.
Being Kind to the Environment
Our consumption is highly influenced by environmental impact, and vice versa. We partner with organizations that share our values so that environmentally conscious practices are reflected in our supply chain. We purchase second-hand or refurbish when possible, and pick more environmentally friendly products - from cleaning solutions to our cups - to reduce our impact wherever we can.