BURLINGTON, N.C. — A morning cup of coffee can boost anyone’s spirits.

“It’s fresher because it’s roasted here in house,” Salvation Coffee Company owner Jim Young said. “Everything is our blend, everything is made our way, and we try to concentrate on being consistent with every drink.”

What You Need To Know

  • Jim Young joined the Army at age 17

  • After frostbite forced him out, he worked a few different jobs

  • In 2018, he opened Salvation Coffee Company

  • Young originally began selling coffee as a side hustle

Young opened Salvation back in 2018, but it isn’t the first time he’s had experience serving the community.

“I gained appreciation for good coffee when I was in Germany,” Young said.

He started a four-year career in the Army when he was 17. Young had intended to have a long career in the military, but fate would see it differently.

“We were out in the middle of the woods, humping with snow up to your knees, and your relief doesn’t show up on time because their Jeep broke down in some old man’s cow pasture in Germany,” he said. “When I got back, I had frostbite.”

Unfortunately, it forced Young out of the service. But it doesn’t hold him back. In fact, if you watch him operate the coffee shop, you wouldn’t even notice he has any sort of injury.

“It seemed like it was more of an issue for the Army than it was for me,” Young said with a sly smile.

Once retired from the Army, he worked with an air conditioning company before moving into an audio and video business. Then, a new idea hatched – brewing coffee.

“Just as a little side hustle, something to distract me from the audio-video stuff,” Young said.

It’s not a side hustle anymore. Now, it’s a company that refuses to stop growing and isn’t done yet. An expansion plan was even in the works before the pandemic shut the progress down.

“I’ve got some growth that we can still do here,” Young said, “and the consistency of the product is key for if we open up another place.”

You can taste the consistency in every cup Salvation puts out.

But it’s more than just coffee. One of Young’s main focuses is creating a comfortable and fun environment with his employees.

"If they're having fun behind the counter and cranking out consistently drinks and great beverages for our customers, our customers are having a good time,” he said.

Although he’d ultimately like to expand, for now Young is focused on upgrading the shop’s location.