Stories
Podcast
Discover stories from our coffee journey, brewing tips, and insights from the world of specialty coffee.
S4 E9: Brad the Baba Boss
Brad shares his full coffee journey from living in Oman and discovering specialty coffee, to importing beans, navigating early business challenges (including a memorable “smoked meat” coffee incident and the Toro Toro club dinner), and eventually moving back to Alabama to help launch Baba Java.
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S4 E8: Global CoffeeU with Halez & Justin
Josh and Rachel Parvin host a special global edition of CoffeeU! They sit down with two key members of the Baba Java International team: Halez (Fujairah, UAE) and Justin (working across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf).
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S4 E7: Camp Musician and Cafe Manager, Grant Austin
Nathan and Brad sit down with Grant Austin, manager of Baba Java’s original Hoover cafe. Grant shares his journey from growing up in Alabama, training as a machinist, to stepping into coffee full-time. He talks about transitioning from Meadowbrook (under Jayson) to managing Hoover, the challenges of running a busy cafe, and what makes Hoover special, from long-time regulars to its broad custome...
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CoffeeU S4 E6: Jayson's Employee Highlight
In this episode of CoffeeU, Nathan and Brad sit down with Jayson Dobelstein, manager of Baba Java’s Meadowbrook cafe. Jayson shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Birmingham, to living in Bolivia, Peru, and Ethiopia, to returning stateside and starting Double Stone Handywork as a contractor and remodeler.
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S4 E3: Noelle's Journey from Customer to Marketer
Noelle talks about learning coffee from the ground up, working closely with Rachel (now in Dubai) and Randy, creating content, planning events, and what it’s like being part of a small but mighty marketing team that spans two continents.
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S3 E13: Inside Baba Java’s Homewood Cafe with Christopher Tickell
Join Nathan and Brad as they sit down with Christopher Tickell, the manager of Baba Java Coffee’s Homewood location, in this episode of CoffeeU. Christopher shares his journey from Memphis to Virginia Beach, and finally to Alabama, where he’s built a family and a thriving career without a traditional education. From arcade sales to building his own house, Christopher’s diverse experiences have...
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S3 E11: Employee Interview with Lee Wideman, and What is CST?
Join hosts Nathan and Brad as they sit down with Lee Wideman, Director of Client Services at Baba Java Coffee, for an engaging episode of CoffeeU. Lee shares his journey from a military kid in Quebec to a key player at Baba Java, offering a glimpse into his life, family, and unexpected path from car sales to coffee. Discover how the Client Services Team (CST) acts as Baba Java’s ambassadors, b...
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S3 E7: Craigslist Trades to Coffee Cuppings: Matt’s Employee Interview
In what many are saying is the best episode of CoffeeU yet, hosts Brad and Nathan introduce the newest member of the marketing team, Matt Powell, who steps out from behind the video switcher to share his story. Matt, a former musician turned audio engineer, videographer, and photographer, brings a wealth of creative expertise to
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