Exploring Life & Business with David Hurley of RHOW Coffee

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Hurley.

Hi David, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My coffee story started back in 2020. I actually went and learned about coffee and the business behind it at the Texas Coffee School. My intention was to open my own shop back then. We had drawings made up, contacts, suppliers, etc. all in the works when COVID happened. The uncertainty at the time unfortunately caused us to shelf the whole plan. After a couple years, I had moved on from the job I was working (day to day operations and inventory management at a hair salon), and started my own lighting and handyman company. I did this for a couple years, and in 2024 when work got slow one season, I applied at Pioneer Coffee Roasters for some extra income. I planned on doing this part-time and thought it would scratch the coffee itch that I still had. The owner, Andrew, and I got along great, and I quickly began managing the Massillon shop and then ultimately started general managing both Pioneer Coffee shops (Massillon and Dalton). My priorities switched and I worked at Pioneer full time for around 15 or 16 months. During my time there, I learned a great deal about not only coffee and the science behind it, but also about how to operate a shop day to day. I loved the art behind coffee and interacting with the community each day. So, at the end of 2025 when the opportunity arose for me to take over ownership of one of the Pioneer shops for myself, I took the leap. I truly believe it was meant to be, because after 2020 I thought I would never get the chance to own my own shop again. Fast forward a few years and here I am. It’s pretty wild to think about, but I believe God put us all here with a purpose. It doesn’t always look the way you think it will, or go the way you want it to, but if you take His lead, He will always get you there.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has definitely been a bumpy one. My wife, Megan, and I essentially created a whole new business in about a month’s time. We had to close the shop for the month of January, while we built the vision and foundations for the business, rebranded, refurnished and restocked the shop in that short amount of time. We pushed marketing and tried to create some buzz while we got off the ground. It was a lot of hard work with many challenges throughout; however, we were able to keep all the equipment at the shop which was a huge blessing and helped smoothed the transition. We also had a solid base of loyal customers in the community that helped motivate us to keep going and see the end goal.

I was once told that there are always obstacles along the way for anything meaningful that you want to accomplish. It’s in the struggles that the breakthroughs happen. When I feel like I’m in the weeds, I always try to zoom out and find perspective. This helps me reset my thoughts and focus on what the real end goal is- in this case it’s creating a comfortable space for people to talk life together and a way for me to serve my community.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Our company ethos is Rise Humbly Over Worry, this is where RHOW comes from. We try to apply this ethos to our daily lives, and I wanted to share it with our community as well. The idea is that we can rise above our daily problems, remove our egos, control what we can control and release the rest to God, knowing and trusting He’s working in our best interest. This is the core idea I want to share. The way we do this is by service to others, and in our case it’s with a comfortable, inviting space and a cup of amazing coffee.

We are a specialty coffee shop, who is passionate about coffee, customer service, and everything else around it. We are creatives at heart and love experimenting with new flavors and different pairings that you can’t find anywhere else. We’re creating a space for the community to gather, linger, and feel at ease. We exist to slow the moment, honor the craft, and create an exceptional coffee experience — one that feels warm, genuine, and quietly unforgettable.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Yes, we love collaborating and working with others! We would be happy to open up our space for private events, support local artists and craftsmen, as well as collaborate with other local businesses and/or supply them with good coffee! Anyone can reach out with ideas, I am open to discussing them!

And of course, the easiest way to support us is to stop in for a coffee and say hello!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rhowcoffee.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhowcoffee/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/RHOW-Coffee/61586276407884/