An Oregon coffee company, Outside Coffee, is expanding to Anderson and Pendleton.
The Anderson location, which is under construction at 1404 N. Main St., will include a headquarters, a franchisee training facility, and a roastery.
The Pendleton store at 205 Drayton St. hosted a grand opening this past weekend. Hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. today through Sunday.
"I've been watching the building getting built for the last couple of months," said Anderson resident Tamika Earle. "I'm intrigued to see the different types of coffee and blends they have."
Owner Lindsay McPhail said the coffee company specializes in fresh whole-bean coffee and top-of-the-line customer service. "We want to make a difference and an impact in the communities we serve," she said. "We are a people company that sells coffee."
Outsider Coffee prints daily inspirational quotes on every coffee cup, called wake-up words. "Our mission is to wake people up to their greatness," McPhail said.
The coffee company also has a menu that changes every month, offering different flavors of coffee drinks, pastries, Keto drinks, cookies, sauces, and more.
"The rotating menu allows customers to try different flavors as the company explores new recipes and seasonal flavors," McPhail said. "Coffee lovers can try something new each time they visit the store."
The Pendleton location's hours are Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
How did Outsider Coffee get started?
In 2019, Chad and Lindsey McPhail founded Outside Coffee in Jackson County, Oregon.
The McPhails took a break from their day jobs as non-profit coordinators and magazine editors a year earlier. They focused on starting a business that could provide financial security for their family and give back to the community.
"When we realized it was actually possible to open and run our own coffee drive-through, a spark ignited in our hearts that we couldn't dim," Lindsey McPhail said. "We decided to take the risk and give it a shot. We worked hard and saved enough money to get the business off the ground."
How did Outsider Coffee get its name?
The name Outsider Coffee came about because "we've all felt like outsiders at some point in our lives," McPhail said.
The couple decided to name the business to remind people that everyone can be an outsider and that it's okay to be different.
"We encourage our customers to take a risk and follow their dreams," McPhail said. "Everything we do is about pouring into people. We happen to have delicious coffee, too."
They also wanted to show that outsiders can unite to make a positive impact. "We believe our customers are the answer to all the problems in the world," she said.
The couple opened their first coffee drive-through in Medford, Oregon.
Outsider Coffee's expansion
After a year in the business, Outsider Coffee proved popular with customers. "We are a people-first coffee company," she said. "We make it our business to know our customers' names and their favorite drinks."
Their success allowed them to expand in June 2022 to a second Oregon location in Central Point.
Outsider Coffee has become a staple in the Oregon coffee scene, and its mission to spread kindness and joy through coffee has succeeded. "Oregon is known for its coffee. There is a coffee drive-thru almost everywhere you look, " McPhail said. "In order to make our way in such a highly competitive market, we had to find a way to stand out. We knew if we could make it there, we could make it anywhere."
Two years later, McPhails franchised Outsider Coffee throughout Oregon, Arkansas, and Billings, Montana and two expansion locations are coming to the Anderson and Pendleton areas.
The family moved to South Carolina several years ago with their children Sawyer, Thatcher, Crew, and Charlie.
"It was a move based on faith," McPhail said. "With no relatives or friends here, we bought a house without seeing it in person. It was time for our family to see what else the world had to offer."
Since then, the McPhails have operated their franchise from Anderson. The family has settled into their new home and loves the area.
"Three years and almost three locations later, we're happy to report we've built a strong brand that is truly making an impact, in person and online," she said.
Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@gannett.com.
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