Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved. The world you desire can be won – it exists…it is real…it is possible…it is yours. – Ayn Rand.

Who is John Galt?

We were founded out of a desire for quality, community, and integrity. And amazing coffee.

Our founder, T.J., worked for a company that specialized in the local college bookstore. Except for their one coffee shop. The company’s focus meant that they didn’t understand how to run a coffee shop And their policies and decisions made it hard for their baristas to be good at their jobs.

Enter Ayn Rand.

For many people, when they discover the writings of Ayn Rand they find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of philosophical shake-downery, and T.J. was not immune. Her ideas about personal responsibility and individualism and integrity are encapsulating, and many people are influenced, for better or worse, to find the best of themselves in their work.

This was particularly true for T.J. as he delved into his passion for brewing coffee and interacting with the people who buy it. At the intersection of wanting to be a great barista, and working for corporate overlords who didn’t care about that junk, T.J. found the inspiration to open a store of his own.

A store where baristas could be free to experiment, and search, and learn, and actually keep their store open when their customers wanted to be there.

A spot for lonely college students to spend their time when they might not have anywhere else to go.

An injection of something beautiful in a town that has more to give than seen at first glance.

So we started John Galt Coffee.
In a theater.
With a church.
Because we believe that much more can be done in this community than just making great coffee.

We named it after one of Ayn Rand’s heroes, as an homage to her influence. And frankly, because people asking us exactly “who is John Galt” is just plain funny. We are pretty sure that she wouldn’t be pleased with our choice, but we might not be here without her.

If you would like to know more about Atlas Church, here’s a link.
They do some pretty great things.

If you want to know more about The Atlas Theater, here’s a link.
They’re also available for renting.

And if you’re wondering, the name “John Galt Coffee” being inside “The Atlas Theater” was a coincidence. No intentional connection whatsoever. Oops.