One of the owners of Dunn Bros. Coffee in Dickinson pulled a container of lightly roasted coffee beans from a low-leveled shelf, pulled open the plastic top and inhaled.
“This is why we started the business,” Stephen Duchscher said.
Duchscher said the family’s reasoning behind opening the shop was simple: They all enjoy a good cup of coffee.
That, and they believe the business has the potential to thrive in Dickinson.
The shop opened its doors on Monday, and while it hasn’t even been a full week, Duchscher said the business is doing even better than they expected.
“It’s been real popular,” Duchscher said. “That’s all I can say.”
He said all of the employees have been really busy, due to the influx of customers. And while they didn’t have issues hiring staff, he suspects they didn’t bring on enough people and will have to do another hiring round soon.
Duchscher’s son, Mike, manages the coffee shop, and Tim Kraft co-manages.
“We’ve been kind of running around,” Kraft said about the first week of business.
At this point, managers said each employee has to wear several hats because there is simply not enough people to do all the work that is needed.
Stephen Duchscher said prior to the coffee shop opening, he was retired. Since the shop opened, he lends a hand wherever is needed.
On Friday, that meant clearing and wiping down counter tops.
“I leave the important stuff to the people who have been trained,” he said.
And while roasting, cooking and serving are left up to those who have had instruction, he said he has enjoyed coming out of retirement, working long hours and helping work any difficulty that arises.
“It keeps my mind sharp,” he said. “I have more energy.”
Although there are many coffee shops in the area, managers said that Dunn Bros. is different than its competition for a few reasons.
The first is the quality of the beans, which are roasted in the shop every day.
They also said offering a food selection is a second reason they stand out when compared to competitors.
Duchscher said both soup and sandwiches have been popular with customers this week.
The family was introduced to the coffee franchise while their daughter was attending school in Minnesota, where the company was founded.
Ed and Dan Dunn, founders of the business, bought a roaster in 1987 and opened their first brewing shop in St. Paul, Minn.
Since that time, the company has grown rapidly, crossing state borders. The franchise currently has almost 100 locations in nearly 10 different states. With the new location in Dickinson, there are six locations in North Dakota alone.
After researching the company, Duchscher said he knew it was the right fit when he saw the coffee roaster. There is a giant machine located in the middle of the shop, which transforms the chemical and physical properties of beans into its characteristic coffee taste. The piece of equipment is required in each of the franchises locations.
But even more than that, Duchscher said the people in the company are what really sets it apart from other chains.
For much of his working career, Duchscher worked in the oil industry.
“The oil industry is kind of cold,” he said. “But everyone at Dunn Bros. Coffee is hugging.”
In addition to the coffee shop, the family is also in the process of opening a salon situated in the same building.
Stephen Duchscher’s daughter will manage the salon and spa once it opens, while Mike Duchscher will continue to manage the coffee shop right nextdoor.
“If you are going to do something, you mine as well do it big,” Duchscher said.
Abby Kessler is a reporter for The Dickinson Press. Contact her at 701-456-1208.
