Exploring Life & Business with Billy and Wendy Hill of Revive Coffee & More

Today we’d like to introduce you to Billy and Wendy Hill. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Back in 2015, after moving to Berrien Center, MI from Edwardsburg, MI to be closer to a job I (Wendy) took, we fell in love with the area. It felt like taking a step back in time, where the simpler things of life were valued. During that time, the stress of the corporate world was starting to weigh on us. and as I drove the kids in and out of Berrien Springs, a Mayberry-esque neighboring community, for school each day, I felt a longing in my heart for “more”. Not being exactly sure what “more” was, we continued about our lives. Then one day, after dropping the kids at school, I needed to jump on a webcast, but other than the library, there wasn’t any place in Berrien Springs where I could do that. I thought, “I sure wish there was a coffee shop here in town”. Shortly after, I was reading an article in my Bethel University Alumni Magazine about an alumni couple, Aaron and Jessica Harsch, who had just recently started a coffee roasting business to help fund their ministry, Redemption Road. Being someone who also loves Jesus and who values all things artisan and fair-trade, I ordered some, and thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be cool to own and operate a local coffee shop/mercantile of sorts one day”? 

Fast forward to February 2018. Our Pastor invited us to speak as part of service one Sunday morning. We had just been through a terrifying house fire, and our church family really rallied behind us, supporting us in countless practical and spiritual ways. We were so grateful, and although neither Billy or I love public speaking, we knew we had so much to be thankful for and didn’t want to miss an opportunity to be sure everyone knew how loved and cared for we felt. To ensure I (Wendy, because Billy is typically pretty quiet) didn’t ramble on and on, Pastor Dan prepared questions for us to review in advance. BUT, the very last question he asked us was not one that we were prepared for, it was, “So what’s next for the Hill family”? It was asked just after sharing that we had found a home and were preparing to move out of Grandma’s, where we had been staying following the fire. I thought to myself (in 2.7 seconds because at least 100 people were awaiting a response), “Um, don’t repeat yourself Wendy, you just said you were preparing to move out of Grandma’s and into the new home you found”. Then I heard as clear as day and in the softest, most gentle voice I have ever experienced, “tell them about your coffee shop dream. Tell them.” So, I DID! And the congregation went crazy with applause and approval! I thought, “Oh my gosh, what did I just get us into?!” 

Little did I know that the three wise men were in attendance at church that day: the town’s supervisor, responsible for business development, the landlord we currently rent from, and the banker who helped us obtain our business loan. Of the three, we only knew the banker. On our way home after church, the town’s supervisor, Mike, found me on Facebook and sent me a message letting me know he could help make our dream come true, so we talked briefly, but, two weeks later he called me back to let me know that previous talks with a neighboring community’s coffee shop wanting to open a second location in Berrien Springs were back on the table. Being someone who wants nothing more than to be in God’s will, I was thankful for the early closed door and we went about our corporate-America lives, grateful for our blessings but growing weary and tired. 

Then, in October 2018, we received a call from Mike, letting us know that the previous deal fell through (again), and asked if we were still interested in the opportunity. Hesitant, but not wanting to miss God’s will, I said, “I don’t know Mike”. To which he responded, “Oh, just go talk with Mark (the landlord), he is waiting to finish off that space, so you could design it however you want”. I responded, “I don’t want to waste his time Mike, he wants a renter and we don’t have the money right now”. Mike said, “Trust me, Mark wants to talk with you. Just go talk with him. As for money, talk with Scott (the banker)”. I said, “I don’t know Mike, we don’t have enough collateral for the size of the loan we would need”. Mike encouraged us to talk with Scott anyway. So, we did! After praying about it, we spoke with both Mark and Scott. We decided we would take one step at a time. If it was meant to be, the path would be there. Sure enough, each step was there. We launched November 4, 2019! 

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?
Then…Covid. I mean, seriously. Having just gone through the balancing act of being the fiscally-minded person I am with an always growing and maturing faith, my worst fears were being realized. We are four months into our journey and we have to close our doors (followed by operating several months without indoor dining). At this point, both Billy and I had left our careers of over 20 years, and were relying solely on God coming through for us withOUT a pandemic, but with a pandemic, really?! We couldn’t naively ignore the obvious and had to take some practical steps to ensure our family was cared for financially, so Billy went back to work. Praise God he is the person he is, as he easily stepped back in right where he left off. I, along with some good friends and family, worked to keep Revive alive for the next 14 months. During that time, we had more some decisions to make. Would we count our losses and let Revive go, or would we downsize our lifestyle and keep Revive? After much prayer and discussion, we decided to do what we could to keep Revive alive, and are pleased to say that Billy was able to return to the shop in August 2021. We have truly been blessed. 

As you know, we’re big fans of Revive Coffee & More. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
When God first inspired us to launch Revive Coffee & More, His direction was clear, BE PURPOSEFUL and do it with EXCELLENCE. By partnering with Redemption Road Coffee and HumanKind, we have purposefully positioned ourselves for far-reaching Kingdom impact. And by doing all that we do with excellence, we best represent who Jesus is. It’s why we are careful to choose high-quality products, even if they cost a little more. Our roasting partner, Redemption Road Coffee, only sources fair-trade, single-origin coffee beans, and the all-natural Swiss Water Process is their chosen method for decaffeinating beans. HumanKind bottled teas and lemonades are organic, as is our chai tea; and, our crushed fruit smoothie mixes are all-natural. We are also proud to use other high-quality brands like Ghirardelli. Our hope is that in some small way we can inspire excellence in all that you do to fulfill your God-given purpose. 

Meet Redemption Road Coffee 

“We have a passion in our soul that desires to show the heart of God to this world, to love deeply, powerfully and purposefully. One of the ways we do this is through intentionally supporting coffee farmers who have programs to love their community well. Another way we do this is by using our profits to support local and global causes that bring love powerfully into this world. I hope you will join us in this mission by buying our coffee.” 

Meet HumanKind 

“Lack of clean water kills more than all forms of violence in the world, including war. Arguably, the easiest and most sustainable way to save the most human lives for the least money is by providing life-giving, life-saving clean water. It’s simple: You get something awesome, and you give something amazing. By buying a refreshing, delicious beverage, you’re automatically helping end the world’s water crisis by donating funds directly to clean water projects.” 

Are you a local artisan? We would love to add YOU to our growing list of partners who offer their products to Revive guests. 

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Pay attention to that “still small voice” deep in your soul. He has a plan for your life. It’s bigger than you can imagine, so don’t be talked out of it. In all things, pray, listen, and obey. God is good y’all, and although He doesn’t promise it’ll be easy, it will be worth it! 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.revivecoffeeandmore.com

Image Credits
Trevor Robinson Jones