Ft Myers Beach - Good Neighbor

FMBGN-BIz-Bad Ass Coffee-How Bad Ass Coffee Found a Home on Fort Myers Beach

• "Cabo" Jim Schaller • Season 5 • Episode 9

Share episode

Trading Chicago's bitter winters for Florida's sunny shores, Jason Thomas has brought Badass Coffee to Fort Myers Beach, creating more than just a place for premium Kona beans. His story of transformation—from fine dining executive chef to beachside coffee entrepreneur—captures the essence of island reinvention that resonates throughout the community.

At Santini Plaza on the island's south end, this Hawaiian-born coffee franchise (established 1989) has been thoughtfully redesigned as a community hub rather than just another corporate outpost. "We want this to be the Badass of Fort Myers Beach," Jason explains, highlighting his commitment to genuine local integration. This philosophy extends to supporting FMB Strong charity and planning a community-inspired mural featuring beloved local landmarks.

The shop's distinctive character is immediately apparent—from the 1973 teal Volkswagen Samba van parked outside to the intentional absence of a drive-through window. "We don't have a drive-through, and that's intentional," Jason notes. "We want people to come in, sit down, hang out in the cafe for a while, meet their friends." This approach reflects Jason's observation about evolving coffee culture, where shops have become social destinations rather than mere caffeine pit stops. "Instead of going clubbing, people end up at coffee shops for first dates," he shares, highlighting the shifting social landscape.

With premium Kona coffee from what Jason calls "the Napa Valley of California for wines," alongside frozen drinks, sandwiches, and pastries, Badass Coffee invites visitors to experience both Hawaiian quality and Fort Myers Beach hospitality. Open daily from 7am to 5pm at 7205 Estero Boulevard, this newcomer has quickly established itself as more than just a coffee shop—it's becoming part of the community fabric helping to rebuild and reinvigorate Fort Myers Beach.

Stop by, look for the teal bus, grab a cup of their signature Kona, and experience how mainland midwestern hospitality meets island coffee culture in this evolving beach community.

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii
Jason Thomas
7205 Estero Blvd, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Santini Marina Plaza Shops
(239) 314-5198
badasscoffee.com

Ft Myers Beach-Good Neighbor
To Nominate Someone to be Featured
Or
To Subscribe to the Newsletter
CLICK HERE
https://cabowabojim.com/listen-to-podcasts/

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Fort Myers Beach Good Neighbor podcast, where the sun's always shining and the stories are even brighter. Each episode we bring you closer to the neighbors, local legends and beachside businesses that make Fort Myers Beach the slice of paradise we all love. Pull up a beach chair, grab a drink and let's meet the people who make this island feel like home. We want to send out some island love to Eric Tibbs from Edward Jones State Insurance, usa and Home Well Care Services Fort Myers. To Eric Tibbs from Edward Jones State Insurance, usa and Home Well Care Services Fort Myers. They are the businesses that allow us to share the soul of our community with every listener, from local stories to the positive vibe of island life. Here's to celebrating all that makes Fort Myers Beach the slice of paradise we all love. Here's your host, cabo, jim Schaller.

Speaker 2:

Welcome Fort Myers Beach. Good Neighbors. We're all about no shade, just sunshine. Drama-free, positive vibes. That's what it's all about Today. We've got good neighbor, jason Thomas from Badass Coffee. Welcome.

Speaker 3:

Thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely. Always a pleasure to get to know people on the island here and then share their stories with our listeners. So without further ado, obviously you're in the coffee business.

Speaker 3:

I am Just share a little bit about Badass Coffee.

Speaker 3:

So Badass Coffee originated on the big island of Hawaii in 1989. It was kind of a mom and pop shop and became very popular and caught some attention of some bigger wigs that said, hey, we'd like to make this a bigger thing. And that's exactly what they did. So we have grown since then. Our franchisee the franchise is actually operated out of Denver, Colorado, by a Royal Aloha company. There is approximately 37 badass coffees nationwide. Yeah, they range anywhere from Colorado, California, Tennessee, Florida We've got them all over the place, but my concentration right now is South Florida.

Speaker 2:

Nice, nice. So why Fort Myers Beach?

Speaker 3:

Fort Myers Beach seemed like the perfect location for our operation and it seemed like the perfect time to get involved with the community. Myself and our investor team was really looking around at all the different locations of where we could plant a flag and really do some some good things and some fun things. And the opportunity, with Santini Plaza being what it is and you know, it's history within Fort Myers beach the return of Fort Myers beach doing back to hopefully what it was and maybe something even more um, seemed like something we really wanted to be part of.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely so. Are you from Southwest Florida originally or no?

Speaker 3:

No, actually my wife and I, we relocated down here a little over two years ago from Chicago.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

We had both considered living in Florida for a long time and we couldn't really come up with an idea of where it was that we wanted to land. And we packed up our car and got a dog sitter to watch our dogs and said we'll be back soon. And we took off on an 18-day road trip that started at Virginia Beach, virginia road trip that started at Virginia Beach, virginia, and we drove all the way down the Atlantic seaboard till we got to Key West, turned around, came up the western side of Florida, back through Georgia and finally got back to Chicago. And we sat down and we said you know I was expecting a big battle. You know there was a lot of nice places around there. And we both kind of looked at each other and said, yeah, southwest florida, yeah, no, it was over.

Speaker 3:

There was no debate, there was no discussion. Um, we currently reside in naples and um, and have barely looked back. I'm actually going back to chicago this weekend for for some family things. And some of my friends were like, well, you're coming back to stay. I said nah, no, I said you guys just don't understand what the life is out here in Southwest Florida and how beautiful it is and amazing how much fun we're having. We've got two stores right now, one in Naples and the one in Fort Myers Beach, and I couldn't be happier.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely. I'm from that Midwest as well. So Wisconsin, illinois, same story. But I moved down here in 89, back when Van Ness Coffee started, I guess. So I've been down here for quite a while, seen a lot of changes, and you know you picked the right spot because there's a lot of midwestern people on this side of florida and this little southwest florida hub down here, so a lot of friendly people, which is, uh, makes the living here extra nice as well too so absolutely.

Speaker 3:

I knew I was in a good spot when I was driving down estero boulevard and I saw somebody fly in the w, which, if you're a cubs fan, you know what that means.

Speaker 2:

Right, right, exactly, I won't talk about it. I was born in Wisconsin, so I'm a Brewers fan. So a little rivalry there right now, especially now with us battling out for the best record in baseball. But hey, we'll take it because we're not supposed to be there, so we'll enjoy it while it lasts. So running a business at the beach, you know kind of sounds like a dream job, right, but we all deal with storms. You know what's been your biggest challenge so far, maybe your proudest moment.

Speaker 3:

The biggest challenge? Uh, there hasn't been so much of challenges as just opportunities. I in Chicago for the last 40 years. I was in hospitality.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

Um, I've been everything from a bus boy to the general manager of a fine dining white tablecloth steakhouse, um dishwasher to executive chef of a private club on Michigan Avenue downtown. So I mean, it's almost a Hemingway writing itself story of let's run away to the tropics and open up a coffee shop and just kind of kick back and enjoy ourselves. And you know, coming down, and yes, the storms are definitely something to worry about. But wherever I seem to end up, there's always going to be a challenge. In Chicago we had the winters. In Florida we have the storms. It's a fact of life and we measure our way through it and we measure our way through it and we try to prepare for it the best we can and pray that it doesn't hit us.

Speaker 2:

And as long as we stick together as a community and help each other and work with each other, that's the important part of who we surround ourselves with.

Speaker 3:

Absolutely, and you know that was part of the thing about coming down to Fort Myers Beach and not being certainly not a native but not really a local per se is that I wanted to make sure that we got involved with the community as best we could. So one of the first things we did was join the Chamber of Commerce. Their outreach has been a tremendous help. We really appreciate everything that they've helped us along with. We really appreciate everything that they've helped us along with. We want to make sure that, even though Badass is a franchise store I don't want it to be a drop off and run kind of place. We want this to be the badass of Fort Myers Beach. It means more to us to be part of the community than it does just to be another business in another location. We have the opportunity of opening a lot more stores but, that being said, each store. I really want to concentrate on making sure that we're part of the community, and Fort Myers Beach is definitely something that we're trying to get involved with.

Speaker 2:

And I love that. It's all about immersing yourself in the community and giving back to the community and supporting the community, because they're the ones that ultimately support you as a business as well, so I love that relationship.

Speaker 3:

It's really lent itself very nicely, you know, being in Santini Plaza and being able to talk with the people in the area. We're kind of the last stop on the south end of the island right now and I want to make sure that we're reaching out to the people that are here year round, or the people who own the homes that are here, that you know they recognize it. Sure, of course we're looking for some of the tourist trade, but at the end of the day, we're more about being Fort Myers Beach friendly, and part of it Not this weekend but next weekend we're having a formal grand opening and we've decided that part of our giving back to the community is that we've chosen a local charity, and that is FMV Strong, to get a portion of our proceeds from our grand opening celebration. So again, it's what we can do to participate in the town, you know, not just be another stop on the road. Let's see what we can do to really dive in and be part of it, I love it, I love it, I love it.

Speaker 2:

See, good midwestern people right, that's what it's all about. So so outside of work, you know this could be very demanding. It sounds like two coffee shops and, uh, kind of semi-retired I mean from your for big jobs, but it's still a full-time job. What do you do outside of work when you get a moment?

Speaker 3:

uh, do you know outside of work? Um, I have a moment. Do you know, outside of work? I have a beautiful wife that I like to spend a lot of time with. We had two white rescue pit bulls. Unfortunately, we lost one of them in the last couple of weeks. He had run a good life, so I spent a lot of time with my dogs. I'm looking forward to getting back into golf. I had a shoulder injury for a while and a back injury, and I don't know if you know anything about being a chef, but it's not real good on the knees either. So I'm trying to recoup my physical condition a little bit to get back out on the golf course. You know messing around town. I recently bought a Jeep Wrangler so that I could actually be part of the beach life and as soon as the summer heat breaks down, I also have a motorcycle that I like to tool around on.

Speaker 2:

Well, there you go.

Speaker 3:

You'll see me around town, if you, if, if you come by the store, you also see we've got a 1973 Volkswagen Samba van parked out in front, so you might see me tooling around the beach on that as well.

Speaker 2:

Very good, it's all about being outdoors, right? We don't have to shovel snow, we don't have to worry about the cold weather getting to our bones and aching and everything. It's. Get outside and enjoy yourself, right.

Speaker 3:

Exactly. I was joking around with my wife this morning and said I'm going to be up in Chicago on Thursday. I said have you seen the weather? It's going to be like 70. Where's my buffer coat? My blood's already thin after only two, a little over two years.

Speaker 2:

Mine's definitely thin, for sure, that's yeah. I go up there, I take a sweatshirt, and summer and pants, and people are like, looking at me, like are you crazy? I'm like, I'm from Florida, this is cold.

Speaker 3:

That's it. I'm embracing it 100 percent. I'm leaning into it as I go back up there. It's like you know there you go.

Speaker 2:

So are there certain things trending within the coffee industry that we can share with our listeners?

Speaker 3:

Yes, Uh, the coffee industry has actually taken a really neat jump over the last several years, but you know it's it's still on that turn with the way young people look at their their own health and how they handle themselves in a lot of places. Um, coffee shops have taken over for some of the night spots. So, you know, instead of going clubbing, people end up at coffee shops for first dates. It's really kind of an interesting turn of events. You know, when I was in my 20s, a coffee shop was not on my list of places to be unless it was very early in the morning from a very late night. And now I'm finding it to be a really, you know, a fun, popular spot for the 20-somethings and even the teenagers.

Speaker 3:

And you know, with our spot we are very much a beach theme. You know it has a Hawaii vibe but nonetheless we're pushing for it to be just beach themed because I want it to be Fort Myers Beach. So you know, there's lots of T-shirts and hats and fun music and we're looking to do different events that will help bring people in. Just for kicks, we put a cornhole game out front, just to you know. Pass the time while you're sipping your coffees front, just to, you know, pass the time while you're sipping your coffees. Um, but it's, you know it's. It's more than just a spot to grab a cup of joe and run out the door. It's become a social experience.

Speaker 3:

Now it has, it really has it's a destination of you know, of a place to go and enjoy, whether it be a coffee, whether it be, you know, a coffee cooler or an energy drink or a bite to eat. We've got sandwiches, we've got pastries. It's, but it's, it's more than you know. We don't have a drive-through, and that's intentional. We want people to be able to come in, sit down, hang out in the cafe for a while, meet their friends. You know, I got a line of head around that chairs outside so you can sit outside.

Speaker 2:

I've seen people sitting out there already. I love it.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, almost see the beach. You can certainly smell it on the right day.

Speaker 2:

Yes, yes, and we love that.

Speaker 3:

So, as a first time visitor coming there, what is something somebody should try? Well, it depends on your likes. You know our, our Kona coffee, which is our kind of our feature item, which is all brought in from the Kona part of the big Island of Hawaii, which, if you're not familiar with, I kind of put it up there with, say, the Napa Valley of California for wines. It's one of the best growing regions for coffee in the world and it's certainly something to experience. We've got several different things that you could try on the menu. You know the coffee cooler is fun if you're looking for something, if you're hot, there's a bunch of different frozen drinks that we serve up, but again, you know, when I lean into it it's for the cone of coffee.

Speaker 2:

That's it. That's what it's all about. So how do our listeners go about contacting you if they wanted to come by grab a cup of coffee or just learn a little bit more?

Speaker 3:

So we're located at 7205 Estero Boulevard. We're at the very south end of the Santini Plaza. Again, if you have any trouble finding us, because we're still waiting on our sign to be installed, we do have this bright teal bus parked right out front. We're working with the community and hopefully soon we'll be able to unveil a mural that we're going to paint on the south side of the wall outside. To unveil a mural that we're going to paint on the south side of the wall outside. It's going to have its feature behind. It is mostly like the 60s and 50s postcard style of Fort Myers Beach emblem on it.

Speaker 3:

You know, again, because we want to make it Fort Myers Beach centric, we're including the clock tower and we hope to have some shrimp boats out on the horizon, nice, a little tiki hut and just some, you know, instagrammable moments to be out front. You can look us up. We don't have a website as of our own. We have the corporate website, which is badass coffee of Hawaii. Hopefully we will be able to get some social media coming up in the near future, but best bet is just to come on down by the store, and we're there from 7 am to 5 pm, seven days a week.

Speaker 2:

Perfect, can't miss it, can't miss it. Any last words for our listeners.

Speaker 3:

I just want to say thank you for the wonderful first couple of weeks that we've had. We've had an incredible turnout and the people could not have been nicer and we're having so much fun just being part of the beach and getting to meet our neighbors and you know, we just look forward to a very long and healthy relationship with the community.

Speaker 2:

Thank you for what you're doing and thank you for being such a good neighbor, and we'll see you at the beach or maybe the coffee shop soon, right?

Speaker 3:

Absolutely. Again, thank you so much for having us on your program.

Speaker 1:

Thanks for tuning in to the Fort Myers Beach Good Neighbor Podcast, where community meets paradise. If you love what you heard, share it with a friend and keep the good vibes going Until next time. Stay sunny, stay salty and keep being a good neighbor. Also, to nominate your favorite neighbors, local legends, heroes or island businesses to be on the show, go to CaboWaboJimcom. That's CaboWaboJimcom, or call 239-427-4100. We want to send out some island love to Eric Tibbs from Edward Jones State Insurance USA and Home Well Care Services Fort Myers. They are the businesses that allow us to share the soul of our community with every listener, from local stories to the positive vibe of island life. Here's to celebrating all that makes Fort Myers Beach the slice of paradise we all love.