Cups of ambition and girlboss energy at CC’s Coffee Bar

QUINCY – With a successful first week under their belt, it’s safe to say that CC’s Coffee Bar is evolving just like the Iron Butterfly who inspired it.

The mobile coffee bar originally stationed on the southwest corner of 11^th and Maine now has a fixed location at 106 S. 11^th.  Regulars do not have to travel far, since it is in the building just south of the old setup. The new space has allowed for CC’s to expand its menu and give its customers a welcoming space to sit and enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee or a flavorful lotus energy drink.

CC’s is a Dolly Parton-themed cafe owned by powerhouse entrepreneur, Casey Casey. She added that to her repertoire when CC’s opened in January last year. She also is a wife, the mother of three and an insurance agent at Peavler/Casey Insurance, a Country Financial agency in Quincy. She co-owns the insurance business with her sister, Crystal Peavler. Casey Casey embodies the very definition of the word “girlboss.”

And with a name like Casey Casey, this girlboss is undeniably unforgettable, just like her idol, the icon, Miss Dolly Parton. 

Casey said Parton was an inspiration, not just in her music but as an entrepreneur. Parton is known for being a smart businesswoman in an era dominated by businessmen. That alone is an inspiring characteristic. She used her female attributes, the very attributes that can destroy you in the business world (especially in the 1960s), and made them her strengths. Dolly’s warmhearted nature is a big reason for her success. Her philanthropic endeavors could fill a book, and Casey is taking a page from it. CC’s Coffee Bar has done many events where it has donated proceeds to charities and organizations.

It made quite an impressive charitable contribution to the local community for being just barely a year old: Fields of Honor, St. Jude’s Run, YMCA Turkey Run, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, fundraisers at QMG, and the Lewis County Nursing Home to name a few. 

Casey was introduced to Parton’s music when she was very young. She remembers riding around in her dad’s truck and listening to the country oldies and thinking she hated it. Now those songs remind her of those truck riding days and they produce feelings of nostalgia and positivity — something that she wanted more of. So Casey began listening to Parton daily. She read all of her books and followed all of her stories. The die-hard Parton fan eventually saw her in concert in Iowa in 2016 with her mother and sister — a trip that almost took her breath away when reminiscing about it.

Casey really lit up when talking about Parton. It’s the kind of idolization that is infectious. Just like her dad inadvertently made her a Dolly fan, she’s spreading that love to young women who are employed by her and would probably otherwise think the same thoughts Casey did in her dad’s truck when she first heard Dolly.

Empowering these young women by giving them a business experience opportunity, along with a lot of creative free rein, seems to be the key to CC’s quick growth and success. CC’s has a second location at 300 N. Fourth in Canton, Mo., along with the trailer that will still make appearances at local events.  She said they went from two employees total at both locations to 15 in just one year.

What sets this coffee house apart from the others? Apart from the catchy Dolly Parton-inspired drinks, they also serve coffee made from fresh beans. They source their coffee weekly from Electric Fountain Brewing Company, roasted fresh just a few blocks away. They have their own special Dolly Blend that can only be found at CC’s.

“That sets us apart tremendously because if you’re a coffee drinker, you can tell the difference between your fresh and your wholesale Folgers,” Casey said.

When asked what the future holds, Casey said, “We continue to plan on growing. I honestly don’t know what the future looks like. I didn’t even plan to be here, but I’m excited for it.”  

She mentioned some big changes like a potential drive-thru at the Canton location and small changes like tables outside the Quincy location once the weather is nice, providing it fits in with city ordinances.  

Casey is serving more than just cups of ambition and delicious drinks at her coffee shop. She’s serving us a cozy place to enjoy them with company. She is serving a positive employment opportunity for some hardworking young women. She’s serving charitable contributions to the community. Best of all, she’s serving straight female empowerment.

CC’s is open Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., with hours soon to extend as the weather warms up.

Stop in soon, check out the newest café to Quincy and say hello to the Backwoods Barbieristas.