Brewing better together

Behind every perfect pour at Not Your Average Joe coffee is a story of belonging.

Walk into Not Your Average Joe, and you’ll feel it before you smell it — that unmistakable warmth that comes from being in a place where everyone belongs. The espresso is excellent, the atmosphere is electric, but what makes this Oklahoma coffeehouse exceptional isn’t just what’s in the cup. It’s who’s behind it.

Founder Tim Herbel built the first Not Your Average Joe on a promise in January 2019, after the passing of his nephew, Braxton, a boy who conquered much through his 11 years of cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus. Herbel vowed to honor Braxton by creating opportunities for people like him.

Herbel had the opportunity to take over Hank’s Coffee in Oklahoma City, but the condition for opening was clear: it had to become a nonprofit, serving people with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities.

What began with four employees has grown to multiple storefronts and 300 team members, half of whom Herbel affectionately calls “superpowered.” These are individuals whom the world often overlooks, but at Not Your Average Joe, they’re the heart of the operation.

“They have the ability to make any human smile,” Herbel says. “And the research backs it up. When you hire people with disabilities, your workplace becomes happier, more productive and more loyal.”

Unlike other models that separate neurotypical and neurodiverse workers, Not Your Average Joe operates on a 1-to-1 inclusion ratio, where people work side by side. Many employees are finding purpose and pride for the first time.

“One of our employees started with us at 39 and couldn’t read,” Herbel shares. “Now, years later, they’ve grown so much — they’re thriving.”

But make no mistake: This is no “feel-good” coffee shop with a marginal product. Herbel’s team includes some of the top roasters in North America, including Andi Parnacher, the first Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)-certified Native American female roaster in the United States. Not Your Average Joe is also home to the first Oklahoma barista to reach the championship finals, finishing 13th in the nation for cupping.

Even with national recognition, their coffee has been shipped as far as Singapore and their catering menu has served names like Gabriel Iglesias and Sylvester Stallone, Herbel insists the mission always comes first. Their head chef, who has autism, creates what many call the best charcuterie in Oklahoma City.

From the 1970s camper serving spherical pancakes on Film Row to the Sasquatch mascot teaching kids that being different is something to celebrate, every corner of Not Your Average Joe is infused with joy, creativity and purpose.

“We get compared to Disney World sometimes,” Herbel says with a smile. “People say it feels like Disney World — but with better coffee.”

And that’s exactly the point. Exceptional coffee. Extraordinary people. A place where being “not average” is the best thing you could possibly be.