Stitch Coffee began with a beautiful yet straightforward purpose: to stitch people together in a world that can sometimes feel divided. Owned by David and Geralyn Hickey, along with their daughters, Sarah and Anna, and their families, Long before Canton ever tasted a Stitch latte, the Hickeys were living and working together on their family farm in Long Valley, New Jersey, where they opened their first shop, The Coffee Potter. Even then, the mission was not just coffee. It was a connection. It was a conversation. It was neighbors truly knowing one another.
After years of farming and commuting into New York City for corporate work, Dave sensed a calling to lean wholly into the world of coffee and community, even without a professional background. So the Hickeys followed what they believed was God’s leading and stepped forward in faith. The Coffee Potter grew into a beloved gathering place. Six years later, the family moved to Canton to be closer to Anna’s family. While the relocation made sense for family life, it also stirred a dream of planting roots and creating community right here.
After exploring nearby towns like Milton and Ball Ground, they found the perfect space on Reinhardt College Parkway and asked themselves the question that would define the future: “Why not open a coffee shop in the city we now call home?” And so, Stitch Coffee was born.
The name is meaningful. It honors Canton’s textile heritage and the history of the cotton mills. It also reflects the heart behind the shop: stitching people, stories, conversations, and lives together. At Stitch Coffee, the goal is not perfection. It is presence. One cup. One moment. One connection at a time.
You can feel the intention the moment you walk in. The culture at Stitch is welcoming, joyful, and refreshingly inclusive. From faithful regulars like Bob, a lively 94-year-old, to high school students stopping in after class, the desire is that every single person feels like they belong.
“We want people to feel like they are exactly where they are supposed to be,” the family shares. “So many places today can feel unwelcoming. We want Stitch to feel like everyone’s place.”
Kindness is not just encouraged, it’s foundational. A mural inside the shop reads “Kindness Changes Everything,” a phrase that reflects how the Hickeys approach both customers and staff. Their Christian faith shapes the way they lead, serve, and create culture, but always with an open door. Painted on the wall are the fruits of the Spirit, serving as both an invitation for reflection and a daily reminder of accountability for the team. Their guiding principle is simple: love your neighbor as yourself.
That belief has taken tangible form through an initiative called Neighbors of Stitch, a monthly feature that highlights real people who frequent the shop and shares pieces of their stories. Talking about everything from personal loss to accomplishments or cherished memories, but all offer connection. It’s an extension of the family’s desire to erase margins and help people see themselves in one another.
As Stitch celebrates its first anniversary this February, the Hickeys are filled with gratitude and hope. Their prayer is that people walk in one way and leave feeling seen, welcomed, and lighter than when they arrived.
Voices like Bob Goff and Father Gregory Boyle continue to shape their perspective, including Boyle’s beautiful reminder: “Compassion is not just about feeling the pain of others. It is about bringing them in toward yourself.”
At Stitch Coffee, compassion is not just a belief. It is brewed daily and shared generously with everyone who walks through the door.