“The best customer service ever. And great tasting coffee, too.”
That’s just one of the many comments customers have left on Ounce Coffee Company’s Facebook page since it opened in Chimney Plaza Shopping Center on S. 27th St. The customer comment fits nicely with Kristen Ligon’s own assessment of the business that she and her husband, Jason, own.
“We make a good cup of coffee–we offer great customer service!” she said.
Actually, they make more than just a good cup of coffee. Their standard menu is mind-boggling, with a full array of coffee and tea drinks, plus fall, spring and summer menus to peruse. Add to that their “creatives,” which are inspired by customers and employees, and the list is endless. A concoction that Jason came up with, Arctic Caramel, is their bestseller. It’s a new twist on a traditional caramel macchiato. Anyone who orders a drink with whipped cream is in for a special treat. The whipped cream is made fresh every day from a recipe that Jason’s grandmother handed down.
Ounce Coffee Company, with its drive-thru service, also offers Saturday specials, which can be found on their Facebook page. And, they give a 15 percent discount to teachers, military personnel, first responders and healthcare professionals.
But Kristen believes it’s the customer service that sets Ounce Coffee Company apart, along with great specialty drinks, of course, and pastries purchased from Salty Roan Bakehouse. But even with a great product, Kristen knows customers won’t return if they have a negative service experience.
“We’re aware of how important it is to remain positive,” she said.
That’s easy for Jason and Kristen, who have outgoing personalities. And, they hire people with the same trait. The business employs about 10 people, with five or six squeezed into the building in the Chimney Square parking lot at any one time. The employees are mainly high school and college students who are full of energy and eager to make a good impression.
Jason and Kristen plan to open a second Ounce Coffee Company in the Wylie area, with even more employees needed. The couple actually opened the business in the summer of 2022 but both had full-time jobs then. Jason, who has an MBA from Rice University, was in finance, and Kristen taught first through fourth grades in Wylie and Abilene school districts. They previously owned Show Cones from 2015 to 2019. In January of this year, they realized they could make a go of it with Ounce Coffee Company as their full-time job. Owning a small business is actually more than a full-time job, even with two people.
“You wear 10 hats every day,” Kristen said.
With her background in teaching, Kristen has a fondness for teachers, who are among their best customers. Quite a few schools are in the area, and teachers tend to show up before and after school. Their busiest hours are 6-9 a.m. and 2-5 p.m.
One of the “10 hats” that Jason and Kristen wear every day is that of marketing director. When they opened, they created mailers to send to people in the area. And, they hit social media hard.
“That’s a skill we had to learn,” Kristen said.
Besides owning Ounce Coffee Company, Jason and Kristen are the parents of two children, Julie, who’s a first-grader, and Dale, age three. Despite the long hours and hard work that come from running a small business, Jason and Kristen have no regrets about giving up their jobs to become entrepreneurs.
“It’s the best job we’ve ever had,” Kristen said.
3126 S. 27th St. • Abilene, TX 79605
Open 6 a.m. – 7 p.m. seven days a week • facebook.com/ouncecoffeecompany
https://order.toasttab.com/online/ounce-coffee-3126-south-27th-street
By Loretta Fulton
Photos By Jessica Morrow
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