P.E.R.K. Coffee Shop creates opportunity for students to learn about business

OSAWATOMIE, Kan. — A couple in Osawatomie, Kansas, founded the nonprofit, Prospective Entrepreneurs of Rural Kansas, or P.E.R.K., just over 10 years ago.

“We’re hoping to fill Main Street again with small businesses and keep our kids in our community,” said Jordy Goff, the group’s co-founder.

The organization was built with its community in mind. The goal was to drive the local economy with local spending.

Osawatomie is located off U.S. Highway 169 in Miami County, Kansas. With a population near 4,500, the community doesn’t have a full-service grocery store or other brick and mortar retail stores.

The Miami County Economic Development Department reported in August 2024 that unemployment was up from the first half of 2023.

The August Economic Climate data reports the City of Osawatomie operates on a 0.39 retail pull factor.

The report states a factor of 1 depicts a perfect balance of trade, where the purchases of a community’s residents who shop elsewhere are offset by the purchases of out-of-area customers. Values greater than 1 indicate that trade is pulled in from beyond their home location. Values less than 1 indicate that more trade is lost than pulled in.

The Goff’s believe in keeping money local and say it starts with young people in the community.

“Public school doesn’t teach you much about owning your own business or your own job,” said Jae Bueker, a freshman home school student. “It really helps to learn other things.”

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

His mother, Heather Bueker, said it was good to get her son out of the house and build life skills.

“I feel like they’re being raised in a technology world,” she said. “A lot of kids don’t even know how to have a conversation.”

Bueker is one of many students involved at P.E.R.K.

Students range from second grade to freshmen in high school.

The work-based learning program is offered and awarded as an elective.

Bueker spends two hours each week taking orders, making coffee, budgeting, and preparing inventory for next week’s shift.

Students are assigned a project from the various layers of running a business. Bueker designed the menu in his most recent project and is not sure what’s next.

“I’ve learned a lot and it will set me up to start a business, whatever it is.” he said.

P.E.R.K.’s oversight committee is a board of community leaders from various career fields.

Jacob Miller, works in finance, and says the Goff’s are exemplary role models.

“They talk about accounting, they talk about different pieces of the business,” Miller said. “All the way down to how you greet a customer and how you shake a hand. They sound like simple things you should be taught, but some people don’t get that.”

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

Miller says Osawatomie’s need for local business is extreme.

He compares it to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

“At the very bottom, it’s basic human necessity,” Miller said. “Then it works up to self-actualization. Which means, you can work up to get to all your dreams and goals. Unfortunately, to get our basic human needs, we must drive 12 miles to get a lot of those things.”

The United States Department of Agriculture identifies Osawatomie and southwestern portions of Miami County as a food desert. (To view Food Access Research Atlas or FARA, Click Here)

The P.E.R.K. organization is hoping its endeavors encourage others to get involved.

“We’re just trying to show people there is more than one way to get involved,” Goff said. “Just trying to inspire others to have their businesses here as well.”

P.E.R.K is located at 573 Main Street in Osawatomie.

For more information on the coffee shop and its program, click here.