At the grand opening of the new Good Sense Coffee shop in Howell, Michigan. All images courtesy of Good Sense Coffee.

Five years after southeast Michigan-based Good Sense Coffee veered away from its standalone coffee business and instead pivoted to mobile retail, the company is returning to brick-and-mortar retail with a new store in Howell.

The 2,000-square-foot café replaces the former Uptown Coffeehouse. Freshly painted, natural wood countertops and modern lighting were just some of the great ideas that Brian Doyle, owner of Good Sense Coffee, and his team brought to the downtown Howell space.

“We wanted to create a slightly eclectic atmosphere by combining modern, lighter natural woods with the industrial feel of raw bricks and Edison bulbs,” Boyle told DCN. “We also use a traditional lever espresso machine from Fracino, which complements this atmosphere with its mechanical operation, wooden handles and polished stainless steel.”

Good Sense has used Fracino’s dual fuel hand-operated heaters for its mobile operations as they can heat the boilers with either gas or electricity. The company also distributes the British brand.

“As we were able to open as quickly as possible, we have not made any structural changes to the premises. However, we plan to remodel the service bar in the near future to make it more efficient and expand our beverage offerings,” said Boyle.

Three Good Sense mobile coffee units – including a converted trailer, a larger modern trailer and a cart – will remain in operation, albeit with fewer appointments due to the cafe’s opening.

Boyle founded Good Sense in 2013 as a micro-roastery before opening the first cafe in 2018 and closing it a year later to go mobile. While the coffee industry can be a highly competitive industry, that’s exactly what drives Boyle, a former track and field athlete.

“Before Good Sense Coffee, I didn’t even like coffee,” Boyle told DCN. “I was working part-time in the insurance industry and training with an Olympic development group to qualify for the Olympics in athletics. At the office, I drank coffee just for the caffeine and usually with lots of cream and sugar.”

A coffee-loving officemate suggested they hold a competition to see who could find the most delicious locally roasted coffee. Boyle accepted the challenge and set off. Then the sprint became more of a marathon. Boyle soon bought a home roaster and started selling some roasts to his officemates.

Boyle officially launched Good Sense with a 6-pound capacity US Roaster Corp machine, and today green coffee from various importers runs through a 15-kilo machine from Mill City Roasters.

A small commercial kitchen in the new café produces traditional and gluten-free baked goods. Plans to expand the offering to include sandwiches and lunch dishes are in the works.

“Over the next few months, we will be working to hire and train new staff, expand our menu and remodel the coffee bar,” Boyle said. “We will continue to grow and expand our wholesale and mobile business units, as well as provide a potential range of educational resources for individuals looking to open a mobile coffee unit or cafe.”

Good Sense Coffee is located at 102 E Grand River Ave. in Howell, Michigan. Tell DCN editors about your new coffee shop or roastery here.

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