Cold Brew
Colombia
A bold but smooth single origin coffee.
Original roaster or listing source US Brand Directory
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Specialty Coffee Brand Deep Dive
Not Your Average Joe
IndependentRoasts its own coffeeSourcing: Limited public info
Visit Not Your Average Joe's site Not Your Average Joe is an Oklahoma-based non-profit coffee roaster and cafe chain dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment for people of all abilities. By providing job opportunities to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the organization transforms the daily coffee experience into a platform for social impact. Following a 2025 merger with Stella Nova, the brand significantly expanded its footprint across the Oklahoma City metro area.
Ownership
Not Your Average Joe is an independent, non-profit organization founded by Tim Herbel. In 2025, the brand acquired all four Oklahoma City metro locations of Stella Nova, which were donated to the non-profit by the Stella Nova ownership group.
Founded
2019
Roasting
Reported to roast in-house.
What it's known for
The brand is widely recognized for its mission-driven model of employing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in a specialty coffee environment. It is celebrated for combining high-quality, locally roasted coffee with inclusive workforce development.
Farm-level sourcing
The brand emphasizes sourcing high-quality beans and roasting them in-house, but does not publicly disclose specific farm or producer names on its website. Their sourcing approach focuses on supporting their mission of inclusivity rather than highlighting specific single-origin traceability.
Documented coffee offerings
Coffees researched from Not Your Average Joe
These are examples recorded during editorial research. They are not a live product feed. The coffee, lot, price, and availability may have changed. We have not necessarily brewed these coffees ourselves.
External customer, cafe, marketplace, and class ratings are not comparable measures of the quality of an individual coffee. We do not convert them into original tasting scores or brand-wide star ratings. Our independent reviews are published separately after a coffee has actually been brewed and evaluated.
Verify original product sources
Retailer information: Not Your Average Joe
Documented physical retailers
Historical source note (not live inventory): Operates a physical cafe at 1227 N Walker Ave in Oklahoma City.
Physical
Historical source note (not live inventory): Operates a physical cafe located inside the Downtown Metropolitan Library at 300 Park Ave.
Physical
Historical source note (not live inventory): Operates a physical cafe at 1001 Elm Ave in Norman, Oklahoma.
Physical
Historical source note (not live inventory): Operates a physical cafe at 2183 Harper St in Choctaw, Oklahoma.
Physical
Historical source note (not live inventory): A sister brand that serves Not Your Average Joe's locally roasted coffee at four locations in the Oklahoma City area.
Physical
Documented online sources
Historical source note (not live inventory): Sells bags of roasted coffee, subscriptions, and merchandise directly to consumers.
Website
I verified multiple physical cafe locations in Oklahoma City, Norman, and Choctaw, as well as the brand's own online store; I could not verify current availability in Homeland Grocery stores despite older reports mentioning them.
These references come from public store locators, retailer listings and brand materials. Last checked Nov 1, 2026. They are research links, not proof of current stock or a buying recommendation. Verify availability, price and location directly with the source.
In the news
Recent news and media coverage about Not Your Average Joe, as documented by outside outlets. We link to the original reporting and do not rewrite or endorse it.
2026-09-15 · KOKH
U.S. Labor Dept. sues Oklahoma's Not Your Average Joe over tip pooling, labor laws The U.S. Department of Labor filed a lawsuit against the Oklahoma-based nonprofit coffee chain Not Your Average Joe, alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The complaint claims the organization mishandled employee tips, failed to pay proper wages and overtime, and violated federal child labor laws.
2026-04-05 · KOKH
Not Your Average Joe teams up with Oklahoma school district Not Your Average Joe partnered with Yukon Public Schools to open an on-campus coffee shop staffed by district students. The initiative aims to provide students of all abilities with real-world job experience using the nonprofit's inclusive employment model.
2026-02-24 · OU Daily
Local coffee shop Not Your Average Joe is set to lose storefront, employees to lose jobs Not Your Average Joe closed its Norman location on the University of Oklahoma campus in May 2026 after its lease agreement was not renewed. The closure resulted in job losses for staff members at that specific site.
Sources used in this deep dive
- https://store44242434.company.site/
- https://cultivate.city/not-your-average-joe
- http://www.stellanova.com/
- https://downtownokc.com/directory/not-your-average-joe
- https://joe.coffee/locations/ok/norman/not-your-average-joe-norman
- https://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.33774
- https://downtownokc.com/directory/not-your-average-joe-downtown/
- https://www.nyaj.coffee/items/cold-brew
- https://www.nyaj.coffee/online-store
- https://www.nyaj.coffee/brokenarrow-menu
- https://nyaj.coffee
- https://www.405magazine.com/not-your-average-joe-stella-nova
- https://freepressokc.com/press-release-not-your-average-joe-expands-community-commitment-with-location-donations-from-stella-nova
- https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2025/03/27/not-your-average-joe-coffee-oklahoma-expanding-hiring-stella-nova/80187315007
- https://www.facebook.com/NYAJMidtown
Research disclosure — this profile was compiled from public online sources on 2026-10-03. This company overview is not a tasting review. Original tasting reviews are labeled separately when they exist. Ownership, roasting and sourcing details are attributed to documented sources. I could not verify specific coffee origins, flagship coffee products, or concrete financial details regarding their charitable giving programs through the brand's public-facing website or reliable news coverage.