Summary

In this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Mark Bray, Owner and Founder of Airship Coffee. This independently owned, specialty coffee company boasts four unique cafes and a roastery, all located in Bentonville, Arkansas. Since its inception in 2008, Airship has consistently strived to exceed the ordinary in all its endeavors, with a strong commitment to enhancing the coffee experience for everyone involved. This commitment is underpinned by a dedication to excellence, fueled by the belief that its cafes are not just places to enjoy coffee, but vibrant hubs where genuine community connections flourish. Throughout the episode, James and Mark explore how Airship’s cafes are designed as destinations for adventure and why Bentonville's community-focused ethos makes it the perfect setting for Airship’s distinctive locations.

Thanks for tuning in!

Show Notes

Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.

(0:52) Introduction to Mark Bray

(5:54) Airship’s Bentonville Locations

(13:57) How Bentonville’s Characteristics Influence Airship

(16:06) Airship’s Local Initiatives and Partnerships

(20:19) Mark’s #BecauseBentonville Story

(33:40) Advice to Business Owners That Are Community Driven

(39:07) What’s on the Horizon for Airship

(43:22) Closing Question

‍Links

James Bell

Bentonville Economic Development

Mark Bray

Airship Coffee

Bentonville Moves Coalition

Quotes

“Our idea around cafes is it’s not just a product that we’re designing, it’s an experience, and it’s a place. And so there’s the product that we associate with each one of our locations, and each one has a unique offering as well, but then there’s the identity of the place. And the Fifth Street location was a tasting room off the end of our roastery. So it’s become a place to get your canister filled, or buy a bag, and that is the identity of the place. We sell a tremendous amount of whole bean coffee to people that want to brew quality coffee at home.” - Mark Bray, (7:29)

“There’s an element of our culture at Airship that’s based on the identity of all the individuals that make up our community there internally. And I really believe that innovation only occurs when people are really hitting the sweet spot when they’re doing the thing that they were meant to do…And so my job in the business is to understand what that is for each person. And we’re trying to create a culture where that can come to life in the business. And then people are able to contribute to the community in that way.” - Mark Bray, (14:09)

“That’s what we’re here trying to do, is make Bentonville a better place to live. And to me, that really captures something very unique to Bentonville, there’s not a big us-versus-them mentality. There’s support coming from all angles.” - Mark Bray, (24:39)

“We chose Bentonville because we live here, raise our family here, and this is home. And it happens to have amazing potential for growth at the same time.” - Mark Bray, (44:57)