Fire News

Mechanics are the unsung heroes of the American workforce. They work behind the scenes and under the hood to ensure that the vehicles and machines that power our nation are running smoothly and efficiently. 

The roar of the engines. The excitement in the air. The thrill of racing at breakneck speeds toward the checkered flag. And what's better than a steaming hot cup of Fire Dept. Coffee to celebrate a victory in Victory Lane?

For Giving Tuesday 2022, we held a BOGO sale on our full line of coffee pods. But it wasn’t your typical BOGO sale. This was a “Buy One, Give One” opportunity. For every package of coffee pods sold, we donated a 12 count package of coffee pods to U.S. military members.

Sure, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are cool. But for us, Small Business Saturday provides a moment for up-and-coming entrepreneurs and business owners to showcase incredible products.

Wedged right in the middle of the chaotic launch of the holiday shopping season, it’s a call to support small businesses making great products and delivering great services. We love it so much because we know the hardworking people behind these small businesses appreciate our support more than you could possibly imagine.

You may not always look back fondly at the time back in 2007 when you accidentally stepped on four people at midnight on Black Friday while sprinting through the mall to get that super-popular, must-have thing that you’ve already forgotten about. 

But you always feel good about shopping small on Small Business Saturday.

What is Small Business Saturday?

Ironically, Small Business Saturday was founded by one of the largest businesses out there. 

In November 2010, during the height of a major economic recession, American Express launched a campaign encouraging shoppers to consider patronizing small businesses as they checked off items from their holiday shopping lists. 

The campaign resonated with Americans from coast to coast. By 2011, the United States Small Business Administration had signed on to promote it. The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution officially designating the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday.

The momentum has carried on for more than a decade now.

Why?

Because small businesses are the heart of our economy and our country. And because, as consumers, we love to support enthusiastic entrepreneurs and their teams as they chase their dreams.

Is Fire Dept. Coffee a Small Business?

If you’re shopping with Fire Dept. Coffee this holiday season, know that you are supporting a small, veteran-owned business based in Rockford, Illinois. Fire Dept. Coffee began with just our founder, Luke Schneider, and his wife, Kate, roasting coffee for their friends and family shortly after Luke left the Navy to pursue a career as a professional firefighter.

As they say, things escalated quickly.

Now Fire Dept. Coffee has grown beyond anything we could have imagined back in 2016. Our coffee is available online and shipped all across the country. We’re showing up in more grocery stores and convenience stores all the time.

Yet, we are still a small business. Fire Dept. Coffee employs around 50 full-time employees, along with our part-time crew, many of whom are also working firefighters and other first responders. 

We appreciate everyone who supports Fire Dept. Coffee because they feel good about shopping with small businesses, especially small-batch coffee roasters. If that encourages you to give us a try, we’re all for it.

Fire Department Coffee is not only a small business, but through the Fire Department Coffee Charitable Foundation, your purchase helps to give back to sick and injured first responders.

If you browse our collection of high-quality, small-batch coffee roasts, we know you’ll find something to enjoy. If you’re shopping for someone else, we’ve got special gift bundles and coffee subscriptions that are perfect for the holiday season.

And when the holidays are over, we hope to keep you and your friends as customers because you love our coffee. That’s what it’s all about. We take great pride in creating rich, bold, easy-drinking roasts for coffee lovers whose preferences span the full spectrum of coffees. 

Half the fun is finding your favorite.

The Best Ways to Support Small Businesses

Whether it’s Fire Dept. Coffee or any other small business in any other industry, there are a lot of ways you can show your support on Small Business Saturday and all year long.

The obvious way is to purchase that small business’ product or services. That’s what moves the needle most, and small businesses always want to share their products with as many people as possible.

Of course, as a consumer, you have even more ways to help small businesses grow.

You can buy products as a gift and share with friends or family during the holiday season. 

You can leave a positive review on the company’s website or through Google, Yelp or any of the other services that shoppers frequently use to learn more about a business.

You can post about your favorite small businesses on your own social media accounts, encouraging others to check them out. We can’t tell you how many people have discovered Fire Dept. Coffee — and become big fans — because their friends have helped spread the word on social media.

We can promise you that anything you do will be greatly appreciated. Small businesses are about building communities. Find something you love and share it with a friend, keep the chain going and keep small businesses like ours growing.

So if you’re shopping small on Small Business Saturday, we thank you. We’re glad to have you in our coffee community!