Meet Michael Tate | Owner, Vail Coffee Stop

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michael Tate and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I didn’t really have a thought process or a goal to start my own business. My wife and I have always enjoyed going out for coffee and had mentioned that Vail has always needed a coffee shop. At the same time, I was considering what the next step in my career could be and saw a mobile coffee shop for sale. It sparked an idea that we further explored and it all worked out for us to buy in to a mobile truck, obtain the equipment from a coffee business that was closing their shop at the time we were launching, and a location in the Vail community where we could start our business.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We live and work in the Vail community and want to be a place for families and friends to gather at an affordable price. Vail has great outdoor space, friendly neighbors, and we enjoy good weather much of the year here. At Vail Coffee Stop, we want to be more than just part of the “buy local” movement. We want to be a part of our community and know our neighbors. Our goal is to provide a good product and have people want to buy from us because of our product and our service. We don’t nickel and dime extras because that brings stress and strain to the “going out” experience. This has helped our shop become a gathering place for groups to bring their kids, school groups, companies, and community to have a drink and share experiences. Building strong and long-lasting relationships has helped us create events for the community as well as bring awareness to other local business, non-profit groups, and our local school district. While this has been highly rewarding, it has also taught us that it is easy to overcommit and burn the candle at both ends. As a small family business owner, this has been one of the tougher challenges to overcome.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, first, you have to visit Vail Coffee Stop and start day with one of our specialty lattes and a fresh pastry. We are located between the two railroad tracks that run through the area. Kids of all ages enjoy watching the numerous trains come through from our covered patio while playing cornhole or other board games we provide for family fun. We are an Arizona Trail gateway community so a great day can be spent hiking along one of the connecting segments or along the Cienega Creek Preserve. To further enjoy our beautiful Arizona weather, pick up a round of 18 holes at Del Lago Golf Course and enjoy a meal and drink at their clubhouse (open to the public). Continuing the outdoor theme, make sure you check off a national park and visit Saguaro National Park East, which has lots of trails and wildlife to enjoy.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to give a shout out to my wife, Wendy. She has always believed in me and supported me in any way she can. When I mentioned that I would like to quit a long career to start a new business while not making anywhere near the same income, she responded with “absolutely you need to do that.” I could not have made this company a success without her.

Website: www.vailcoffeestop.com

Instagram: @vailcoffeestop

Facebook: @vailcoffeestop

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/vail-coffee-stop-vail

Image Credits
Jonathan Ehler, Wendy Tate