Today we’d like to introduce you to Beth Price.
Hi Beth, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have always wanted a coffee/tea shop since I was just a little girl. I would take my dolls and set them around the table and serve them “tea” (it was really water – LOL) and would serve cake with it as well. Yes, the cake was real. Some of my older brothers has made me small cake pans while in welding class. Mom would let me take a little cake batter and make a small cake.
As I become an adult, married and had a child, I really didn’t think my dream would ever come true, but, hey, it doesn’t hurt to dream, so I kept on dreaming.
Pop had a business of his own from the time I was 2 months old. I learned so much from him, but I sure do wish he was still around to bounce ideas off of and talk to when the going gets tough. I do remember the one thing Mom & Dad both told us was the most important thing about running your own business.
1. Always pray about your decisions
2. Treat customers like you’d want to be treated.
I actually grew up working for my father and mother at their small engine business, Price’s Garage, along with all four of my brothers. It definitely taught me a lot. Although small engines were definitely NOT my passion, I truly enjoyed working with my family and enjoyed the customers.
After Pop retired and sold out the business, I worked several different jobs. I still was not happy. Oh, I liked what I did good enough, but it wasn’t my passion, my dream.
Mom and Pop fell ill and needed full time care. They sold their house in Cookeville and moved to Lebanon, I moved in with them to help and we hired a full time caretaker, so I could continue to work as well. I feel so privileged to have spent those last years of their lives with them on a full time basis.
Pop passed away a little over 2 years after we moved to Lebanon. Pop went to his Heavenly home September 9, 2017, 15 days before his 83rd birthday. Mom lived another 5 years, but unfortunately, she had to have round the clock care for the last 2 and half years of her life. She went to join Pop on May 16, 2022.
Pop had a business of his own from the time I was 2 months old. I learned so much from him, but I sure do wish he was still around to bounce ideas off of and talk to when the going gets tough. I do remember the one thing Mom & Dad both told us was the most important thing about running your own business.
1. Always pray about your decisions
2. Treat customers like you’d want to be treated.
About 80% of the recipes I use were my Mother’s. (She was Pennsylvania Dutch and an Awesome Cook/Baker) We also use several recipes from other family and friends and ones we’ve created.
We have a coffee called “Kim’s Southern Delight”. It’s named after a friend of mine, who created it and it’s sweet like southern tea. (it has coffee, extra caramel and lots of sweet cream in it)
Baking and making coffees and teas are my absolute passion. I also enjoy making lunches and dinners for people as well. I enjoy when we do catering for people. It reminds me of when mom would have a bunch of guests over when I was young.
Our favorite saying here is “If its made with love, the calories don’t count”
(I got this saying from my mother)
We want everyone to know they are welcome here at Pop’s!
We are located in a historical house in Lebanon, TN. The house was built in 1910. We know that the Cumberland Law Librarian, Sara Hardison, lived here with her parents and sister. Neither sister ever married. Ms. Hardison passed away in 1979
Mr. & Mrs. Brown bought the house sometime after. Mrs. Brown started the Hatchery and later the Feed Mill here in town. She was the first woman in Lebanon to have a business license. The Hatchery shut down, but the Feed Mill is still in business today.
Some information regarding Pop – Pop was born September 24, 1935 in Konnarock, VA. He went to school through the 8th grade, then started working to help out the family. Pop moved to PA looking for work. He worked in a Paper Mill for a bit, then got a job with Bethlehem Steel working in an Iron-Ore Mine in Morgantown, PA.
He and mom were married, January 15, 1955. They had 5 children over the next 12 years.
In 1967, Pop also started a small engines repair shop from his garage, in Elverson, PA, which later became a much larger business with him selling small engines (chain saws, weed eaters, blowers and lawn mowers) as well as repairing them. Yes, he worked full time as a miner and also owned his own business. He worked hard to support his family and instilled great work ethic into his children by doing so. We watched him and mom work hand in hand at their business “Prices Mower Shop.”
Unfortunately, in the late 70’s, Bethlehem Steel went bankrupt and closed the mines in Morgantown, PA. Pop was able to come to TN and get a job in the Gordonsville mine. He sold his house and business in PA. (He also said he’d never go back into business for himself!) We moved to Cookeville, TN and low and behold if he didn’t end up buying a garage/grocery store, all still while working as a full-time miner! The grocery side of the business fiddled out, once the larger chain grocery stores moved into the area, but the small engines side of the business flourished. By now, several of the children were able to help him run the business along with his wife, Marion. Don’t get me wrong, ALL of us helped in one way or another.
We want everyone to know they are welcome here at Pop’s! We have several prayer groups who meet here, people meeting clients, friends meeting friends, families spending time together. We welcome all!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s definitely been a struggle. We opened in 2019 and of course in 2020 Covid hit. We did make it through by providing “family Meals that people could stop by and pick up. The community was very supportive of small businesses during this time.
As you know, we’re big fans of Pop’s Coffee Shop. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Pop’s offers a wide variety of coffee and teas, as well as breakfast and lunch. We also offer small catering.
Pop’s is know for our homemade Chicken Salad, made from scratch soups (fall and winter months only) and our baked goods (all of our baked goods are made in house with lots of love, using recipes that have been passed down through our family for generations as well as recipes from friends)
Our coffee is locally roasted in Tennessee and Georgia. We purchase only the finest coffees for our shop.
Our menu does change with the seasons, so you definitely want to follow our Facebook and Instagram pages.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
We love the fact that people in Lebanon and the surrounding small towns are so supportive of small businesses. We love the “small town feel” of Lebanon.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/popscoffeeshop/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/popscoffeshop/
