Coffee with a cause

Some of the revenues from the Porpoura Coffee Shop go to cancer patients.

Companies: Porpoura Coffee Shop

Headquarters: Grand Forks, N.D.

Black Friday is the biggest sales day of the year for Porpoura Coffee Shop, the only coffee shop at the more than 70-store Columbia Mall.
"On Black Friday, our sales are 30% more than on a typical day. We're open almost 24 hours that day. It's insane, non-stop and we love it," said Richelle Mewes, co-owner of Porpoura.
Porpoura only sells certified Fair Trade organic coffee, which means their cup o' joe costs a pretty penny. "We're not cheap," said Mewes. "Our coffee probably costs 30% more than Starbucks' coffee."
Nevertheless, shoppers looking for a little fuel to propel them to their next bargain, aren't deterred. The company's unique story also helps.
Mewes and Sarah Heitkamp founded Porpoura in 2006 after winning $50,000 in a Gap Inc. business competition for the best community-based idea. "We wanted to open a business through which we could support low-income patients at the Altru Cancer Center in the area," said Mewes.
With the money, the two opened Porpoura. Today, the company has seven full-time employees and annual revenues of $200,000.
"I'm proud to say that some of them have gone on to become doctors, nurses and lawyers," said Mewes about her employees.
Some of the shop's revenues are used to provide Altru cancer patients with money for lodging, gas and nutrition needed during their treatment. Mewes and Heitkamp have full-time jobs and do not draw salaries from the shop. They are hoping to expand the business.