“We always find four-leaf clovers and give them to customers to spread love. Everything at our coffee shop is about spreading love. It all started as a homeschool project to learn about business. 

We moved to Baldwin County from Oregon, the land of drive-through coffee. We couldn’t find anything like that here, so we started one. My husband suggested we call it Reveille, like the military wake-up call.  We took the idea and ran with it. Our three girls helped build this coffee shop from the ground up. They helped clear the lot, plant grass seeds, build the stairs, pick out the shipping container, and interview roasters. We dug the hole for the grinder pump and the electric line, anything to save us money. Now they do their homework while they work here. We’re going into our fourth year of business. 

My girls grew up in this little shed. I want to show them they can do anything they want to do, but it will be hard. It was a lot of sacrifice for us to get this business up and running, and there are no vacations when you have a business to run. I’m not paying for them to go to college or buy their first car, but I will set them up with every opportunity to earn those things for themselves.

Running Reveille together has been the best experience of my life. We’ve reached all of our goals and more. We just got another 100 in our health inspection and were voted the “Best Coffee Shop in Baldwin County” last year. We’re in an amazing spot and built a nice community out here. We love being across the street from J Larry Newton school. 

Before this, we had another small business, Matier Mistletoe. Our slogan was, “Bringing back the tradition of holiday kissin’.” The lesson was that money doesn’t grow on trees but grows where you look for it. Just like finding four-leaf clovers. People tell me they’ve never found a four-leaf, but have they looked for one? 

Reveille is more than earning an income, it’s building a community. You don’t have to be a millionaire. Helping your community and your family learn and grow is what matters. My daughter, Diane, played violin in the Baldwin County Youth Orchestra, so we provide a string scholarship every year. We support the Baldwin County Honor Guard and the High Hopes for Autism fundraiser. We’ve volunteered at the Humane Society and do animal adoption events out here. We once got five dogs adopted in one day. 

It’s also creating relationships with our customers. Sometimes, people come by to tell us how their day is going or something sad that happened, then leave. Sometimes, a mom pulls through here and says she doesn’t think she’s doing a good job. I say, ‘Did you show up? If you did, you’re doing a good job.’ It may not be your best day, or you may be making mistakes, but showing up makes a big difference.

Teenagers don’t normally want to hang out with their parents, but I lock mine in a steel box with me a couple of days a week so they can’t get away. We also do a lot of walking and talking around here. I have great conversations with my kids.

My daughters are my biggest motivators. People say you can’t be best friends with your kids.  Why not? These are the people I want to spend the rest of my life with. My success will come when they are older and still want to be around me. I don’t have a ton of time left with them right here, and I want to make the most of it. These years go by so fast.”

Lucy

“We have a very good relationship with our mom because of this business. She sacrificed so much for me and my sisters. We get a lot of time to ask her questions and get her help with things. She teaches a lot of self-worth.  My mother is amazing, and I want to be like her. When I grow up, I want to make a lot of money, not for me, but for my family and to get mom something she really wants. My personality is based on my mom: she’s very social, happy, and cheerful. She makes everybody’s day–I really like that about her. “

Claire

Reveille Express Coffee is at 9946B Co Rd 32 in Fairhope