Jackson mobile coffee sellers prospering during pandemic

Kristen and Billy Lewis of Jackson know firsthand that opportunities occasionally present themselves even in a time of crisis.

The married couple has been operating a small mobile coffee trailer, Molon Latte, during the current pandemic and said business is good.

"All the bricks-and-mortar coffee shops were closed early on," said Kristen, 40, "but since we operate in the open air, the (county) Health Department said we could open anytime we wanted."

When you're virtually the only place available to buy a cup of ready-made joe, you can clean up.

"We had people lined up that first day," said Kristen, who said the appeal of getting out of the house and buying tasty coffee while maintaining social distancing was an unbeatable combination.

For the Lewises, Independence Day weekend might mean just a little bit more.

The couple met at West Point and have each served Army tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Coffee is a point of connection.

"We would see one another in Kuwait," recalled Billy, as the couple was deployed separately to Iraq in 2003.

"Coffee gave us a taste of home," echoed Kristen.

The parents of two teenaged boys haven't forgotten their friends in the armed services.

Travis Mills, who served with Billy, has been left a quadriplegic due to injuries sustained overseas.

This weekend the couple will cut a check for Mills' foundation based off their coffee sales.

The couple promotes the trailer's daily location on their Facebook page.

The parking lot in Jackson City Park near the pool is a frequent venue.

Billy, who teaches entrepreneurship and business management at Jackson High School during the school year, helped organize a weekly food truck rally in Jackson, which continues each Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. through Aug. 12.

The first "rally" at the Iron Mountain train site was June 24.

"All the vendors were completely out of product by 7 p.m. that first Wednesday," reported Billy.

"It's clear to us people want a sense of normalcy because human beings are social," he added.

Sometimes people ask Kristen and Billy if it gets hot working in a small trailer in the summertime.

"We're only in there a few hours at a time and besides temperature is relative," said Billy, who recalls the oppressive cauldron of heat he and Kristen discovered while serving in the Middle East.

Missouri has reopened and the Lewises now find themselves in direct competition with established coffee shops.

They're grateful to have established a clientele during the worst of COVID-19 and hope their customers will stick with them.

Molon Latte, as the name implies, has a variety of specialty offerings.

Caramel and cupcake flavored frappes are the top sellers.

"Billy is the planner," said Kristen, "and he did an extensive business plan where he studied up on what other shops were charging."

"Since the schools have been shutdown since mid-March," said Billy, 43, "I was able to concentrate on the mobile trailer and get it ready more quickly."

Kristen admits they didn't see their business playing out quite this way when they started outfitting the trailer beginning at Christmastime.

"We had planned on doing lots of events and catering, but the coronavirus stopped those," said Kristen, noting the scaling back of much of Jackson's 4th of July celebrations and the cancellation of Jackson Homecomers.

On this patriotic weekend, Billy said he and Kristen follow a simple set of values.

"Defend freedom, fill in the gap where there is a need and provide a service," he said.

The word "Molon" is taken from the shout of Spartan King Leonidas when commanded by the Persians to throw down their weapons.

"Molon labe," according to Billy, means "Come and take them," a sentiment that may be just as applicable to customers wanting a good cup of coffee.