Why a Coffee Shop in Danville?

Our desire to start a coffee shop in Danville is quite simple. We love great coffee and we love Danville and we felt like the two things deserved to be a part of each other. But, to better help you understand let me break these two things down for you.

During the past few years we have had the pleasure of having my eyes opened to how great Danville really is. Now, for those of you from around here reading this you might find this a bit ridiculous… really? Danville?

Yes, Danville!

Danville has so much going for it that gets overlooked. First off, for being in the middle of the prairie in Central Illinois it has amazing natural beauty surrounding it. You can drive for 3 hours west and not find as good of a network of rivers and state and county parks. Seriously, mountain biking at Kickapoo and kayaking on the Salt Fork river are two of my favorite things in the world and I am so blessed that I can do both of these within 15 minutes of my house. So, if you love the outdoors, this is a great place to live (except maybe in the winter, but I have hunting friends that would disagree on that point).

Besides the surrounding beauty, Danville itself has a lot going for it. It has a rich history. It has a beautiful level of diversity. And now, if I need to buy something, I don’t have to drive the 40 minutes to Champaign, I can pretty much get whatever I want while only driving 10 minutes, which is amazing!

There is a problem though. One of the few things I cannot get within a 10 minute drive is a good cup of coffee or a good shot of espresso. I mean, I can get this at home, but what’s the fun in that?

Also, if I want to meet a friend in the evening and we don’t feel like meeting at either of our houses, where do we go? If I have something I want to work on outside of the house, where do I go? This is a huge problem that currently Danville does not have a great answer to. I have gone to McDonalds before to work on an assignment while drinking coffee and not 10 minutes into it a busload of Jr. High volleyball girls swarmed into the McDonalds. I left a few minutes later. I have also gone to Royal Donut to work before, but it is just weird, I don’t really have another word to use. Don’t get me wrong, I love Royal Donut. In fact, I think it should be on a list of great things Danville has going for it. Their glazed donuts are the bomb and I hope they are around forever. I just don’t want to go there in the evening to read or work on a paper, or meet a friend for coffee. I know you probably have similar experiences, most people I talk to in Danville do.

So, I love coffee and I love Danville and I want a place where I can enjoy both of those things. I want Mad Goat Coffee to be that place, and not just for me, but for you. This is for us, this is for Danville, because Danville deserves it, and Danville is cool in sort of an uncool way (at least I think so). So, here you go Danville.  We’re starting a coffee shop, and it will be convenient, and it will be quality, and it will be open early, and it will be open late, and it will be cool.  So, I hope you come and enjoy it.