By SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
YODER, Kan. — After years of anticipation, Yoder finally has a coffee shop to call its own. Roots Coffee Co. opened Sept. 2 and has quickly drawn steady crowds of commuters, families and neighbors, offering both a convenient stop for travelers and a welcoming space for the community to gather.
The location of the two-story coffee shop is at the corner of Red Rock Road and South Yoder Road, just north of K-96.
The dream for Roots started years ago with Mark and Kendra Horst, local entrepreneurs who also own King Solar. They envisioned more than just a business... they wanted a pillar for the community, a place that gives back and cultivates connection.
“Their vision was never about just lining their pockets,” said manager Kim Miller, who runs the shop. “It was about building something that strengthens the community around us.”
Construction began last November on a site that once held a run-down house. After months of delays and challenges, the building now glows with natural light through large windows, softened by greenery and earth-toned design choices.
The words “Find Joy Inside” greet customers at the door, a motto Miller says reflects the space’s purpose.
“We want people to leave feeling better about themselves and their world than when they came in,” Miller said.
Roots has already begun to establish itself in the flow of daily life. Early mornings bring a wave of commuters stopping in before work. By midmorning, the shop becomes a meeting place for friends, Bible studies, small groups, and others with laptops and earbuds who settle in for hours.
On weekends, families crowd the space, making it one of the busiest times of the week.
“We still hear people say, ‘Wait, you’re open?’” Miller said with a laugh. “But the support has been incredible.”
For Miller, running the shop represents the fulfillment of a personal dream. A former small business owner and photographer, she once took entrepreneurship classes through StartUp Hutch with the goal of opening her own café someday. “I had the ambition and the vision, and the Horsts had the resources,” Miller said. “God brought us together at just the right time.”
Last year, she even traveled to coffee farms in northern Thailand, walking mountain trails with growers and learning firsthand how beans make their way to a cup. “It changed my perspective,” she said. “Once you see the effort it takes, you don’t look at coffee the same way again.”
The shop employs 11 people and will soon expand hours to meet demand. Beginning Oct. 11, Roots plans to stay open until 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. That evening, the business will hold its grand opening celebration, featuring live music, food, and a fall-themed maker’s market in the parking lot showcasing local artisans. For Miller, who has hosted similar markets on her family’s property in the past, it’s a chance to merge her passions with the shop’s mission.
Inside, the menu blends comfort with creativity. The Prairie Berry Panini is a raspberry, onion and bacon sandwich finished with balsamic glaze over turkey and provolone. It has already become a customer favorite. The Golden Acre breakfast bowl, baked hot with tater tots, eggs, ham, cheese and white sauce, is another top seller.
All pastries are made in-house, including scones, carrot cake and a popular “Pop Tartt” bar that pays homage to the childhood favorite. On the drink side, the Daymaker Breve, flavored with honey, vanilla and cinnamon, and the Autumn Harvest Latte, pumpkin spice with maple syrup, headline a menu that changes with the seasons. Coffee is roasted by Adelitas in Wichita, a small-batch roaster with award-winning beans.
Roots also offers shelves lined with items from local makers: hand-turned wooden pens, houseplants, apparel printed in Kingman, even Wisconsin maple syrup from a family with Reno County ties.
“A lot of the people we work with don’t have storefronts or online shops,” Miller said. “This gives them an outlet for their creativity, and it lets us support them directly.”
Beyond food and merchandise, the building itself offers flexibility. A second-story conference room can be rented for $15 an hour, giving businesses, families and community groups a neutral place to gather. The space opens onto a balcony and has already been booked for board meetings, showers and birthday parties. “It fills a real need for meeting space in this area,” Miller said.
Outside, Roots offers something else hard to find between Hutchinson and Wichita: an EV charging station. It’s one more reason the shop has become a convenient stop for travelers in a stretch Miller described as a “coffee desert.”
From the steady stream of commuters in the drive-thru to the lingering conversations at indoor tables, Roots Coffee Co. is shaping into more than a place to buy caffeine. It is becoming a gathering point, a landmark, and a reflection of the community’s values.
“We feel very blessed,” Miller said. “This is about joy, light and connection. That’s what Roots is all about.”
