Coffee business born in a garage pops up in the skywalk

How it started: Sims, a pastor at Frontier Church, got the idea to start his own coffee business after working at Freedom Blend Coffee and witnessing the influence his drinks had on customers.

• "I felt like Black, white, rich, poor — there's all [this] diversity of people gathered over a little cup of coffee that I had sourced, roasted and served, and I was like, 'Man, I think this is how we change the world,'" Sims said.

State of play: Sims and his wife started Happy Home Coffee in 2019 and initially focused on roasting and selling their beans, which they prepared in their garage.

• They started selling them at several Hy-Vee stores in West Des Moines and downtown, as well as at Mars Cafe. A full 60% of the beans are sourced directly from producers, Sims says.
• At the end of 2024, they decided to open their pop-up shop.

What's next: They plan to open a permanent coffee shop at 7th and Walnut streets in the Financial Center next year.

If you go: 7am to noon, Monday-Thursday; 700 Locust Street, No. 300, Des Moines.