There’s just something about Puritan Coffee & Beer that feels like home for everyone. Maybe it’s the natural daytime lighting that blends into comforting, low-light ambiance once the sun sets. It could be the slew of familiar faces always perched at a booth or table. Perhaps it's the nostalgic movie that often can be found projected onto a screen as closing hours approach. Or, it could just be its diverse menu of coffees, teas, alcohol and food that customers can always expect to be delicious. Regardless of the reason, Puritan is a home away from home for many people of Northwest Arkansas – including the people on its payroll.
For those who have been following Puritan’s growth over the years, it's clear that the establishment loves and supports its employees. A scroll through the coffee shop’s eclectic Instagram account often showcases its employees and celebrates their work anniversaries. An entire wall is dedicated to displaying a collection of past and current Puritan employees as a public display of love for its staff. Puritan regulars start to see familiar faces from behind the bar spending their free evenings hanging with their co-workers as they make drinks for others.
Fayetteville City Lifestyle had the opportunity to meet with a few of the Puritan staff members to hear their personal experiences of what it’s like to work at a beloved Fayetteville staple whose caring management nurtures an environment of friendship, safety and community support. Here’s what they had to say:
Kayla Wilcox – General Manager
From an outside perspective, the Puritan team seems like one giant family. In what ways do you and your team try to cultivate an environment that supports this camaraderie?
One of the most important things to us as a company here at Puritan is to create an environment that people, patrons and employees alike, feel comfortable and enjoy being in. Our team is extremely talented at making people feel welcome, whether that be familiar faces or first-timers. When new employees are brought in, we apply that same philosophy and friendly attitude, with the goal to make them feel like they belong.
Puritan is a very community-oriented and involved coffee shop. Why would you say it’s important for local businesses to support its community?
Being a part of the Fayetteville community as a whole is important to us because community, generally, is a huge part of who we are. We love to support our small business friends on Dickson St., our friends in the Downtown Fayetteville community, and the entire Fayetteville community. We never want to isolate ourselves or come across as standoffish. Taking part in community events such as the recent Ride Your D*mn Bike Fest exposes us to people that normally wouldn’t visit our shop, while showing that our business wants to have community with the local events, shops, and figures that we support. We are very thankful for our local business partners and to be members of a strong Fayetteville community with them.
How do you feel that “third spaces” are important for one’s well-being? How do you hope that Puritan cultivates a comfortable place that draws people in to rest, play or work?
Third spaces are highly beneficial for one's well-being because they remove the responsibilities that come with being home or being at work while promoting relaxation, socialization, and play. We try to have a little bit of something for everyone as far as our space, menu, and events schedule goes. We have a large indoor seating space where guests can either find a table to work, cozy up in a corner with a book, or bring their friends and play games. Our patio is one of my favorite places to be (when the weather is nice enough, of course). The coffee menu and beer menu is diverse, and we can usually help people find exactly what they're looking for. There is a niche for every person that walks in our door, and we are more than happy to assist people in finding theirs.
Luke Baldwin – Events Manager / Graphic Designer
What is it about Puritan that “feels like home?”
So many of the people I care about in this town spend a lot of time at Puritan because it feels like our place to be in Fayetteville. There's always waiting for you a face you'll know when you walk into Puritan.
From your perspective, how does Puritan stand out from other coffee shops in the area?
Puritan's versatility as a space in Fayetteville is its most apparent strength. There's quiet corners to read a book or visit one-on-one with a friend. But there's also spaces like the bar or the standing tables where more lively conversation is encouraged. Just look at Tuesdays at Puritan - the morning is one of the quietest times of the week, but by 6:00 p.m. the space is popping with people sharing beer pitchers and waiting for trivia to start. And through all that Puritan has to offer as a space, it still maintains a high level of quality when it comes to the service and products it offers which is essential in a town like Fayetteville that has such a rich coffee and bar culture.
What’s a memorable moment you’ve witnessed at Puritan – on or off the clock?
The night we brought back trivia after a year's hiatus because of Covid was a night I'll always look back on with fondness. I was so happy to see so many of our trivia regulars return after having been away so long.
Riley Youngblood – Barista
How long have you been working at Puritan, and what drew you in to work there?
I’ve worked at Puritan for about 10 months, and at Garden Room, the event space behind Puritan, for a year and a half. Because I was working at Garden Room, I was spending a lot more time at Puritan and becoming friends with the other employees, and after hearing how much they loved working behind the bar, I decided to apply and was hired shortly after. I’ve been working in coffee for about 3 years now, at first just as a part time job through college but I loved it so much I stayed even after graduating.
What is it about Puritan that “feels like home?”
I’ve spent a lot of time at Puritan in the past two years, hanging out there even when I’m not on the clock. Sitting at the bar, reading and chatting with whoever is working is one of my favorite things to do when I have a day off, which I think says a lot about how great the work environment is. Even if I go with the intention of sitting by myself to read or journal, I almost always run into someone I know and end up socializing instead. I think solely because of how much time I spend in that building, it has pretty much become my second home.
What does your ideal playlist look like when soundtracking your shift?
A lot of Clairo and a lot of Djo, but I do have a 20-hour playlist I continuously add to so I don’t get tired of listening to the same songs over and over. I also like to let whoever I’m working with pick the playlist so I can discover new music, and I feel like I’ve expanded my music taste quite a bit because all of my coworkers have such different playlists when they’re on aux.
Alex Monk – Barista
What is it about Puritan that “feels like home?”
When I was a regular I would always chat with the staff about books or music or life; so, when I started working here, everyone was excited, and it felt like I was behind the bar with all of my friends. Thankfully, it still feels that way. Part of the reason Puritan is such a comfort for all of the people that work here is because we all genuinely care about each other and enjoy working with each other. We have regulars that are also near and dear to us, and we know them by name and their orders. I hope that brings the feeling of “home” to them too.
What’s a memorable moment you’ve witnessed at Puritan – on or off the clock?
I think most of my favorite moments are the couple of hours before a trivia night when all of our regulars come in and sit at the bar in preparation, and I get to joke and laugh with them. Talking with folks at this job is one of the highlights, you meet so many interesting people. I was also asked to do a gender reveal for someone using our drinks, and that was special. They’re having a boy!
What does your ideal playlist look like when soundtracking your shift?
My favorite is a calm, folky/indie mix for my shifts. Lots of Bon Iver, Gregory Alan Isakov, Caamp, Hozier, etc.
Parker Edwards – Assistant Manager / Coffee Lead
From your perspective, how does Puritan stand out from other coffee shops in the area?
Being so close to the university, our main crowd during the fall and spring tends to be students. But once summer hits and the students head home, the demographic shifts to mostly locals. You might think things would slow down without the student traffic, but the locals keep us just as busy! Summers at Puritan are actually my favorite. I really appreciate how much support we get from the local community. It gives the shop a different kind of energy, and it’s part of what makes Puritan so special.
What’s a memorable moment you’ve witnessed at Puritan – on or off the clock?
A few years ago, a customer came in who was preparing to propose to his girlfriend. He was on his way to meet her father to ask for her hand in marriage, and he asked me to put her dad’s coffee on his tab. When he came back to close it out, he told me the dad had said yes! It was such a sweet and special moment to share, even as a stranger. A few weeks later, he stopped in again to tell me he was about to propose — and then not long after, he came back with his fiancée!
What does your ideal playlist look like when soundtracking your shift?
The entire Tennis discography, Men I Trust, Faye Webster, Kate Bollinger, and Tame Impala.
Lillian Osier – Barista
From your perspective, how does Puritan stand out from other coffee shops in the area?
I think Puritan is really a “third space” for a lot of people. We’re open super late and have time for it to switch from a coffee/ study zone to a “let’s go grab a drink and hang out” spot. It’s super versatile, and we really offer a wide range for all different people.
What’s a memorable moment you’ve witnessed at Puritan – on or off the clock?
Our Puritan Day of Fun 2024 was so memorable to me. We went out to the Buffalo River and all just spent the day hanging out, swimming, and connecting all together. A group of us camped afterwards, and I think when I look back on that day, it’s a highlight of the community feeling that Puritan gives me.
What is your favorite drink to make or to recommend?
My favorite drink to make would have to be something simple like a hot mocha with cinnamon. The latte art practically draws itself. I recommend the Chi Chi Rodriguez to practically anyone who comes in. And if it’s fall, then I’m recommending you add pumpkin to make a Sad Girl Autumn.