All in the Family | Circle Coffee Co.
Photos by John Burns
David Vincent and his wife, Jackie, opened one the area’s newest coffee shop and bakery at 1710 SW Medford Ave., a few blocks west of Washburn University, with David’s older sister Ruth Vincent working as the head pastry chef.
And while David admits it was a leap of faith to open the shop, he said his family’s business experience served as a great example.
David is the eighth of 11 kids in his family, so he’s had the benefit of watching his family oversee companies and find success. His dad, Austin Vincent, is an adoption lawyer in Topeka and runs his own practice, Christian Family Adoptions, while his brother Matt runs Golden Rule Design & Build, and his sister Hannah owns Hair by Hannah salon.
“I’ve gotten to watch a few of my siblings run businesses, so I think it’s just a normal thing for me,” David said. “Yes, it’s scary, and yes, it’s a big risk in some ways, but getting to see my older siblings model that risk, and do it really well, has given us a lot of confidence in what we’re doing.”
David’s younger brother Timothy just opened a business called Community Woodworking Co., and he did all the wood interior accents and furniture at Circle Coffee Co.
“He did a really amazing job,” David said. “He’s only been in business a few months but he’s already doing really incredible work.”
Before Circle Coffee Co. was a 20-employee neighborhood cafe inside an old laundromat in central Topeka, it was a mobile coffee cart, built and operated by family friend, Cameron Philgreen. Topeka had food trucks and other mobile businesses, so why not coffee? One of the first events he attended with his coffee cart was David and Jackie’s wedding in October 2018.
The Vincents owned a photography/videography business, where they would travel to various locations to shoot weddings and other private events.
Circle Coffee Co. is a 20-employee neighborhood cafe inside an old laundromat in central Topeka.
David said that for years the two of them had been having conversations about what it would look like to someday have a coffee shop. Combine that urge to chase a dream with the beginning of burnout with the photography/videography business, and Circle Coffee Co. soon became a reality.
David and Jackie bought the mobile business in 2019, a decision the couple did not go into lightly.
The couple knew that a coffee business would not be the most profitable venture in the world, but they also knew that money isn’t always the deciding factor. They also wanted to something they really enjoyed.
“I wanted to do something that I would be proud to tell my kids about,” David said. “And maybe someday pass this business on to them if that’s in the cards.”
David and Jackie both really love coffee and have always enjoyed coffee shop experiences and inviting friends over for java.
“That’s a good test, if you’re trying to see if you should open your own place,” David said. “Do you enjoy having your friends over for this? The answer was yes.”
David said he and Jackie and their friends spent a lot of time at the PT’s at College Hill at SW 17th and Washburn. It was their gathering spot, and so when it closed during the pandemic, they felt like something was missing in the neighborhood.
“Because my wife and I appreciate going to a nice coffee shop and spending time with each other and with friends, we felt like this would be something that would bring a lot of value to the area,” David said. “We wanted to inspire other young people to stay in Topeka and start businesses and invest in our community.”
While Circle Coffee Co. places a high importance on fun seasonal beverages, it also sticks to the classics. David said the shop makes a “really, really good” cappuccino and offers more off-the-wall signature drinks that rotate through on a seasonal basis.
David and Jackie specialize in coffee and Ruth does the baking.
“My sister is really talented,” David said. “Everything she does is really top-notch. So, of course we always thought about having her as part of the coffee shop on the bakery side.”
In addition to traditional baked goods, Ruth specializes in making allergen-friendly items that don’t taste allergen-friendly, including a streusel coffee cake that’s gluten- free and vegan.
Working through different communication styles and creative opinions is the biggest challenge in running a family business, Jackie said, but at the end of the day, it’s a gift that makes them a better team.
“Watching Ruth and David learn how to work together has been fun,” Jackie said. “They both love doing things with excellence and want to master their craft. They are both so good at what they do. It’s really special to be a part of it.”
While running a business is always a risk, David said that to him, owning a business with family feels even riskier, but with a higher reward.
“I think everything just feels just like higher stakes,” he said. “We wouldn’t want to fail for any of our employees or our community, but when there’s a family member involved, I feel like the stakes are even higher because you love that person, and you don’t want them to be without an income.”
TK
