It is not uncommon to see residents with a Way Station Coffee cup in their hand. Located on Ford Avenue in Richmond Hill, Way Station Coffee Co. has been one of the town’s favorite meetup spots for nearly a decade. Whether it be a mom picking up her morning espresso or soldiers looking for a quick pick-me-up before heading to base, the coffee house is a staple for the community.
“When it first started, people said if we can make it through the first five years, then we're doing all right,” said owner Patty Gunderson. “Then COVID hit, but we survived.”
Nestled on her grandparents farm in Colorado, a young Gunderson would take in the sounds of the coffee pot percolating in the kitchen.
The aroma of brewed coffee beans was something she could not escape. Although she held careers in education and home health, the memories of coffee beans brewing prompted her to open a coffee shop.
“Coffee had been something I wanted to do for a long time,” said Gunderson. “Coffee has warm memories for me. There were a lot of businesses you could go for but coffee was something that was near and dear to my heart.”
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Gunderson moved to the area after visiting her son who was in the service. She was eager to become a business owner but soon learned the storefront she wanted was taken.
Little did she know it was just a minor setback. After her daughter did a random google search of available coffee shops in town, the same location she was interested in purchasing very location she was interested was on the market.
“I always tell people, for whatever reason, God wanted this here in Richmond Hill, Georgia,” said Gunderson.
God’s provision continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, too.
Businesses throughout the country were closing their doors due to the virus but the community showed up in droves to Way Station. They were determined to keep the business afloat amidst the unforeseen health crisis.
“I think that was a real testament of the devotion of our customers,” said Gunderson. “We never closed down. We had front porch pickup for almost two years. We had multiple people tell us they would be here every day. What I found was that it was important to people during that time to stick to their routine. Even if they couldn't come in here, they were still making us a part of their routine because they wanted something to do with their spouse or their kids. To include us in that is a real compliment.”
Coffee shops are more than just a place where patrons grab their favorite latte. Gunderson said they have had everything from wedding proposals to two weddings at the eatery.
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
“We wanted this to be a place where people would come over between point A and point B, whether they stay here for an hour, 10 minutes, came alone or with a friend,” said Gunderson. “It is a nice community space for us.”
Gunderson's daughter Whitney Evans ditched her job to help run the shop with her mom. She said it has been a joy to work alongside her “best friend”.
“I had just moved back to Colorado from Alaska and I was working in an office doing admin work,” said Evans. “I knew that was not what I wanted to continue doing.”
Between military personnel that come and go and newcomers moving to the region, Gunderson has a host of families that she has come to know and love. What makes those relationships more rewarding is when they come back to visit, proving Way Station is more than a pit stop. It is part of their journey through life.
"Our customer base shifts a lot," said Gunderson. "Around the third year that we opened, we were getting very busy, so we expanded. When we first opened, our customers were moms with kids in school and then, as those kids got older and all the moms had different responsibilities, they quit coming in. But then, there was another wave of different people that would come in. I would say the momentum just keeps on going."
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: ‘God wanted this here’: Residents bring community feel to Way Station Coffee Co.
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