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Zack Follett and Kuppa Joy are a great Fresno story (well, a Clovis story, really), the kind that’s catnip for any producer or editor who needs a human interest story. Football hero has NFL career cut short by injury; returns to hometown on a mission from God to start a coffee shop alongside charitable endeavors; becomes wildly successful.
Follet’s story has been told everywhere, from Sports Illustrated to Fox NFL Sunday to SF Gate.
To locals, Kuppa Joy is a curiosity, but also an institution: an objectively good coffee shop with branding and iconography more overtly religious than even the coffee shops that are actually attached to churches (KJ itself is independent).
Despite all the past coverage, Follett and Kuppa Joy still seemed worth writing about. And so I found my way into it, as I often do, by asking a stupid question: what’s the deal with the throne? (The one in the logo, and on the wall at all of Kuppa Joy’s cafes). And sub-question to that: was Jesus really “a throne guy?”
I was drawn to this both as a philosophical question (do you picture Jesus in rags or Jesus on a throne?) and as a logistical one (what’s the actual process involved in going from throne idea to throne reality?).
Follett, perhaps not surprisingly, is a great interview, and the piece ended up with so many quotes that I just loved:
“In the usual kind of Christian coffee shop is crosses. And while the cross is obviously the main source of our Christian faith, it’s played out everywhere. And so my thing was, I still underestimated people’s viewpoint or stigmas of religion, but I wanted to break through that as much as possible.”
“I took [the throne logo idea] to one business owner. […] He looks at this logo and he goes, ‘You need this throne in your cafe. An actual throne needs to be in your cafe.’”
“I found a throne dealer out of Texas that imported thrones from Asia.”
“I bought an extra throne from him when I heard [he was going out of business]. Like, ‘Oh man, let me have one in storage for the next location.”
“I didn’t want the coffee shop to be overly Christian and in your face, but you put a big, beautiful throne in here, people are going to ask, ‘Hey, what’s that chair all about?’ And I can be like, ‘Hey, I’m so happy you asked,’ so then I share the story.
Anyway, those are just some snippets, but I hope you enjoy the journey — from stupid question to surprising answer — as much as I did. “I found a throne dealer out of Texas who imported thrones from Asia” will be pinging around my brain for God knows how long.
What else? It still feels like summer, God help us. It’s been a full month since I first speculated about the end of triple-digit temperatures, so I apologize for that jinx. There’s something very wrong about having 100-degree days and having it be dark outside when you wake up simultaneously. Oh well, we’re all in this together.
— Vince Mancini, Contributing Editor, Food
Fresno’s historic Uncle Tom’s is more than just a kooky name – and more than meets the eye
A guide to Fresno and Clovis farmers markets
A culinary guide to Chinatown, Fresno’s oddest, and maybe most delicious neighborhood
A throne for Jesus? Kuppa Joy founder explains Fresno’s most distinctive coffee shop decor
This week’s local food news
Otherside is getting second location. The cafe at Willow and Shepherd teased a big move last week, but this week they’ve revealed a location: Palm and San Jose near Fig Garden Village. Timeline: “the end of ’27.” What?? I’ll be old then! [Otherside Cafe]
Reedley Farmers Market begins this Saturday. And they’re kicking things off with a taco competition, among other things. Pioneer Park on G Street. [CA Fresh Farmers Markets]
A prime rib dip with crispy onions and gruyere? Yep, a truck has that. As a long-time sandwich enthusiast, this is really speaking my language. [FresnoStreetEats via Instagram]
A new coffee shop is coming to Tower. Tower Daily Grinds, from the owner to Tower Sports Club, is coming to the former Oggi Cosi Si Mangia space, a very cool building which the Bee notes has been “plagued by fire, homeless.” The other co-owner is “the former chief of homicide for the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office,” so maybe that will help turn it around. Uh, yay, coffee! [Fresno Bee]
MEGA Texas BBQ is hosting a barbecue class next month. November 22nd, to be exact. They plan to “over everything from top to bottom – Meat Selection, Wood Choice, Trimming, Seasoning, Slicing and everything in between.” Sounds cool. [Instagram]
“This Fresno park is a must-visit for fans of a beloved animated burger chef.” It’s Bob Belcher Park on Alluvial, and there’s also a Bob’s Burger character named “Bob Belcher.” I guess people have been putting Bob’s Burger pictures on the sign. It’s good to have hobbies. [CBS47]
— Vince Mancini, Contributing Editor, Food
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This week’s newsletter is edited by Danielle Bergstrom.
