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Local Patriot Roasting Company Kannapolis [caption id="attachment_190528" align="alignright" width="300"] Owners Kyle Lingafelt, Kate Giono, and Stefan Perrine[/caption] The hum of a stainless-steel espresso machine ripples through Local Patriot Roasting Company
Local Patriot Roasting Company Kannapolis [caption id="attachment_190528" align="alignright" width="300"] Owners Kyle Lingafelt, Kate Giono, and Stefan Perrine[/caption] The hum of a stainless-steel espresso machine ripples through Local Patriot Roasting Company
Owners Kyle Lingafelt, Kate Giono, and Stefan Perrine photograph by Stacey Van Berkel
The hum of a stainless-steel espresso machine ripples through Local Patriot Roasting Company in downtown Kannapolis. Behind the counter, Kyle Lingafelt grinds freshly roasted Brazilian beans, releasing a rich aroma of cocoa with nutty undertones. Beside him, Stefan Perrine readies the brewing equipment for the morning rush. As regulars trickle in, the owners reminisce about the city’s revitalized West Avenue. “We started this business as a way to give back to our community,” Perrine says. “It’s really rewarding to see how much we’ve grown alongside it.”
The two veterans — Lingafelt, a Marine, and Perrine, an Army soldier — seized an opportunity to contribute to their hometown’s renewal. Once bustling with workers from Cannon Mills, the textile giant that defined the local economy until its closure, Kannapolis faced stagnation until the NC Research Campus injected new hope in 2006. Inspired by the city’s 2016 Downtown Revitalization Project, the two friends — along with their business partner, Kate Giono — envisioned a vibrant gathering place reflecting their deep pride in country. The success of their first venture, Old Armor Beer Company, which opened in 2019, fueled their ambition to launch Local Patriot in 2021, marking a new chapter in their support of Kannapolis. “Looking around downtown, we noticed there wasn’t a coffee shop,” Perrine says. “We wanted to fill that void by creating a space where people could gather, enjoy great coffee, and build community.”
Local Patriot Roasting Company in Kannapolis helps patrons start their day. photograph by Stacey Van Berkel
A few doors down from their brewery, they stumbled upon a weathered 1,200-square-foot building, its potential obscured by neglect. Undeterred, they set out to transform it into a warm, inviting space where people could connect. Their hands-on renovation approach involved meticulously removing layers of old materials and crafting their furniture from reclaimed wood, turning what was once overlooked into a cherished community asset. “We wanted to keep as many original elements as we could to maintain its industrial feel,” Perrine says.
Their commitment extended far beyond renovation. Toward the rear of the coffee shop, a poignant tribute takes shape: a wall dedicated to active military service members, veterans, and first responders. “The patch wall started as a small gesture to honor our heroes,” Perrine says, “but it has grown into a vibrant tapestry of stories and shared experiences for the people who contribute to it.”
And then there’s the coffee: Local Patriot’s menu includes sweet blends like Great White Buffalo, a white chocolate mocha with a bold espresso kick, and Earnhardt Outdoors, a coffee named after Kerry Earnhardt, featuring a Brazilian medium dark roast. For veterans and first responders who visit, what distinguishes Local Patriot from other cafés is their coffee cup wrapped in a sleeve adorned with an American flag, amid other subtle military touches like the patch wall. And for the owners, that resonates, too. “It’s about more than coffee,” Perrine says. “It’s about honoring community and those who’ve served.”
A few days before her 7th birthday, Charli Johnson approached her U.S. Marine veteran father, T. Shane, with the idea of starting a coffee business. He eagerly embraced her idea, and together they launched Big Guns Coffee in 2021. While T. Shane took charge of logistics, he proudly acknowledges Charli as the driving force behind their journey from a humble mobile coffee cart to the opening of their Tryon flagship in 2022 — a testament to a father nurturing his daughter’s dreams, one cup at a time.
When Clay Hartman and his wife, Leigh, moved to Highlands in 2018, they were drawn to the town’s close-knit community, reminiscent of the strong bonds fostered during Clay’s 25-year tenure in the U.S. Navy. They envisioned Calders Coffee Cafe as a welcoming space where connections could thrive, aided by the soothing comfort of popular drinks like the Highlands Mist, a hot tea latte.
Following his military career, U.S. Army veteran Alex Frampton-Winters returned to his New Bern roots in 2015 with his wife, Jamie, to establish Bellator Roasting Company. Together, they created a haven for coffee enthusiasts, offering memorable blends like Pecan Sticky Bun, merging the sweetness of molasses with the nuttiness of roasted pecans.
For the more than 720,000 veterans who call our state home, North Carolina’s deep military tradition is a lived point of pride. Our former and current service members — and the communities that support them — are beacons of bravery and possibility.