At the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Good Sense Coffee shop in Howell, Michigan. All images courtesy of Good Sense Coffee.
Five years after untethering from its standalone coffee shop in favor of mobile retail operations, Southeast Michigan’s Good Sense Coffee is returning to brick-and mortar with a new shop in Howell.
The approximately 2,000-square-foot cafe replaces the former Uptown Coffeehouse location. Fresh paint, natural wood countertops and updated lighting were among the bright ideas that Good Sense Coffee Owner Ian Boyle and his staff brought to the downtown Howell space.
“We wanted to have a slightly eclectic vibe by mixing modern, brighter natural woods with the industrial feel of raw brick and Edison light bulbs,” Boyle told DCN. “We are also using a traditional lever espresso machine from Fracino that compliments this vibe with its mechanical operation, wood handles and polished stainless.”
Good Sense has utilized Fracino dual fuel manual lever machines for its mobile operations, since they can use either gas or electricity to heat the boilers. The company is also a distributor for the UK brand.
“In an effort to open quickly, we did not make any structural changes to the space, but we do plan to remodel the service bar in the near future to make it more efficient and allow us to expand our drink offerings,” said Boyle.
Three Good Sense mobile coffee units — including a converted trailer, a larger modern trailer and a cart — remain in operation, though with lighter schedules given the opening of the cafe.
Boyle launched Good Sense as a micro roastery in 2013 before opening the original coffee shop in 2018, then closing it a year later to go mobile. While coffee can be a competitive industry, that’s precisely what drives Boyle, a former track and field athlete.
“Prior to Good Sense Coffee I did not even like coffee,” Boyle told DCN. “I was working part-time in insurance and training with an Olympic development group to try and qualify for the Olympics in track and field. I drank coffee at the office only for the caffeine and typically with loads of cream and sugar.”
A coffee-loving colleague suggested they compete to see who could find the most delicious locally roasted coffee. Boyle accepted the challenge and was off to the races, then the sprint became more of a marathon. Boyle soon after purchased a home roaster and started selling some roasts to his office mates.
Boyle formally launched Good Sense with a 6-pound-capacity US Roaster Corp machine, and today green coffees sourced through a variety of importers move through a 15-kilo Mill City Roasters machine.
A small commercial kitchen at the new cafe turns out traditional and gluten-free baked goods. Plans to expand into sandwiches and lunch fare are in the works.
“Over the next several months we will work on bringing in and training new staff, expanding our menu and remodeling the coffee bar,” said Boyle. “We will continue to expand and grow our wholesale and mobile side of the business, as well as a potential offering of educational resources for individuals looking to open a mobile coffee unit or cafe.”
[Editor’s note: This story has been updated. The original version incorrectly identified Ian Boyle as Brian Doyle.]
Good Sense Coffee is located at 102 E Grand River Ave. in Howell, Michigan. Tell DCN’s editors about your new coffee shop or roastery here.
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Howard Bryman
Howard Bryman is the associate editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. He is based in Portland, Oregon.
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