Business Runs on More Than Caffeine

Story and photo submitted by Demetria Rohla, Culinary Arts

During a visit to Sturgis Coffee Company, senior Demetria Rohla gets an up-close look at owner/operator Mike Kahler's coffee bean roaster.

About ten years ago, there was only one coffee shop in South Dakota, and that was Spearfish.

Then, Mike and Anna Kahler came to South Dakota to start their first business, a coffee kiosk, in Belle Fourche.

Later on, the Kahlers opened another business in Sturgis, initially located in the Pamida parking lot.

Mike said it was very hard to run two businesses at once, so he sold the coffee kisok in Belle Fource to one of his employees because she needed something to do after high school.

After relocating to the location vacated by Subway, Mike and Anna purchased the building they are currently in, remodeling it to accomodate more customers as well as house additional businesses.

Throughout everything the Kahlers have been through, they worked really hard to get to the place they are now, keeping their business in good shape.

The Kahlers put over a million dollars into the Sturgis Coffee Company and even built most of the items in the shop.

What students on their visit to Sturgis Coffee Company learned about running a business from Mike was that it is not easy. Employees with good personalities and nice to people is of utmost importance. Skills of secondary importance.

Students also learned that if they are running their own businesses, they have to be able to manage all the stress and money involved. They may have problems every once in awhile, but in the end, everything should work out.