In 2018, spouses Quincy and Whitni Henry were on a long drive from a family Thanksgiving in Utah to their hometown of Tacoma, Washington, wondering what to do next with their lives.
Quincy had recently lost his marketing agency job. Soon after, Whitni was injured at the mental health facility where she worked. Clearly, it was time for a change.
On that drive, the couple decided to build a business around something they both loved but had no experience working with: coffee. To combine their passion for great coffee with their love of camping, they started by roasting their beans over a campfire, which creates a unique flavor profile.
The Henrys initially thought Campfire Coffee would center on a brick-and-mortar shop in Tacoma, but COVID-19 threw them a curveball. Unable to fully open in March 2020, they instead launched an online shop—and it took off. They could barely keep their campfire-roasted coffee beans in stock. Quincy had hoped to roast 50 pounds of beans per week; now, he’s roasting close to 500 pounds. But one of the company’s primary goals goes beyond coffee beans.
“We see ourselves as a company that wants to provide access and equity to the things that we care the most about,” says Quincy. “For Whitni and I, that’s outdoor recreation and coffee.”
The Henrys plan for Campfire Coffee to be a launchpad for a host of affordable, accessible outdoor recreation opportunities. Their plans include having their own low-cost campground, a library of free outdoor gear, a free outdoor educational center, and more. The aim is to make outdoor recreation more equitable, inclusive, and diverse. In its first year of operation, the business has already:
- Generated $20,000 for three outdoor education organizations
- Awarded five free camping trips to families through its nonprofit Campfire Explorers Club
- Is proudly a women-owned, Black-owned, and veteran-owned business—rare in the roasting world
“We know that diversity and representation are so important”
“We know that diversity and representation are so important,” Quincy says. “We don’t take these stances because they’re the trendy thing to do. It’s just who we are.”
Campfire became a Bank of the West customer in 2021, in part, because the Henrys felt they weren’t getting sufficient support from their credit union. And when Quincy started to learn more about Bank of the West’s commitment to diversity and the environment, he knew they were making the right choice.
“I remember thinking: Wait, there’s an actual bank that cares about the same stuff we do and that is aligned with our values?” he says. “Yeah, we’re moving. We’re going to put our money here and feel good about it.”
Learn more about Bank of the West.
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