About Us

We believe that coffee should create conversations and instigate creativity, and that those conversations can result in sharing, in new ideas, in new opportunities, and ultimately, manifest into action. We aim to provide a creative, inclusive, and energetic space for people to gather, drink, and collaborate.

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Who We Are

Thou Mayest is a coffee roasting gang of freewheeling renegades looking to shake up the ant farm. Like all awesome things, we started in a garage back in 2012 and have exploded into a movement of entrepreneurs, artists, activists, business owners and shopkeeps looking for ways to do community better. "Thou Mayest" is seeing your life as a vast, glowing, empty page, waiting to be written by you.

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More Friends - More Fun
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The Way Is Open

The name “Thou Mayest” is from John Steinbeck’s novel East of Eden and he first shares those words in a passage that means “the way is open”. We interpret this as a “call to arms” to take responsibility for our city, for the products we craft, and for our lifestyles, which includes a global supply chain.

We have selected Thou Mayest as our business name with the hope that while we stand here enjoying a great cup of coffee, we can reflect on the origin of the fruit, the bean, the region of the world it comes from, and all the hands that helped in getting it to our coffee shop to share with you.

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Read the story that inspired our journey

East of Eden

East of Eden

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We Believe

"The way is open" - Thou Mayest or Thou Mayest not.

We all need to #takefunseriously.

Coffee is a unique and specific expression of the culinary art.

Our cafés are community spaces.

Passion is not something you search for - it comes from within & you can take your passion with you in everything you do.

We are pouring encouragement into the world, one beverage and experience at a time.

Nature and the earth are the best sources of encouragement.

As a brand, we hope to empower and embolden people to encounter beauty in the natural world

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ways to shop thou mayest

Our cafés

Located across the KC metro, find a shop near you!

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Online

You're already here, why not snag a bag or two?

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Our Partners

Find a restaurant or café that carries our coffee!

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Wholesale

We're constantly expanding our wholesale offerings - apply for a discount for your business now!

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Our Philosophy

Thou Mayest means life is a journey. Thank you for joining us on ours and we are honored to be included on yours, too.

Within the fast-paced, digital world in which we live, we believe in slowing down to honor unique craft - and we promise our best efforts at excellence and small-batch roasting. From the farm to your cup...we want to join with you on a beautiful adventure into the world of coffee.

There are many aspects of life where we do not have the luxury of choice. However, we do have the ability to choose our attitude surrounding our experiences.

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Don't just take our word for it - see what our friends & the media have to say:

Feast Magazine
J. Rieger & Co., Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters Release Caffé Amaro by Pete Dulin

“By treating coffee as a true craft ingredient, Thou Mayest helped transform a classic Italian amaro into something uniquely Kansas City.”

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Barista Magazine
Field Report - Kansas City, MO by Eddie P. Gomez

"The drink choices were some of the best in town and ranged from single-origin coffees and teas to innovative signature drinks…exceptionally tasty, and especially telling of the hard work and artisanal thread that drives Thou Mayest’s efforts across three cafés."

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Feast Magazine
Coffee Shop: Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters - Q&A with co-founder Bo Nelson

"What do you hope to see happen next in the local coffee scene, and why? More city-wide collaborations between roasters. It is our goal to see the industry become better. The KC coffee scene is coming to the front of national attention. We are all in it together, so let's work together and promote each other more – after all, when the tide rises, all boats rise. I want to see a roasting maker-space to really engage and bring the home roasters out. That's where we came from and that's what we want to give back to. Long live home roasters!"

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Sprudge
Kansas City: Thou Mayest Have A Beer And Muffin With Your Coffee by Charlie Burt

"To create a space where creativity, bravery, and decisiveness flourish is no easy task. This is where that inspiration enters in and becomes infectious. When you first walk into Thou Mayest, you can feel the buzzing energy of a lively space where intentions abound."

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Get a Taste of TM

Once a month, we open our production floor for an industry-style cupping and roastery tour. Secure your spot now!

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