The Passion Behind Rose & Dagger Coffee Company

Picture this–

You’re walking toward the square in downtown Georgetown on a sunny day. The smell of freshly ground coffee wafts through the air and draws you in like a magnet. You follow a path past an adorable yellow-painted plant shop into a quaint backyard space shaded by huge walnut trees. There you spot it– a cute little coffee truck tucked away, surrounded by colorful picnic tables warmly waiting for visitors and families to grace their benches for a perfect afternoon. From the coffee truck’s open window, that inviting scent wraps the whole backyard in a big warm hug. You can’t help but order a coffee to keep you company as you stroll around Georgetown. The barista is kind and helpful, encouraging you to take a look around the plant shop or relax and enjoy the fresh air while your order is prepared. You find a cozy spot to take in the scenery, your train of thought gently interrupted by the call of your name. That was quick! Your coffee is handed to you through the window with a smile. You take a sip and feel like this is a place you could belong.

This is what an average experience looks like at the Rose & Dagger Coffee Company. I should know, as I have spent many days in that beautiful backyard sipping on delicious coffee and getting to know the owners of the best little coffee truck in Georgetown. This dreamy backyard, in fact, is what inspired me to begin my Passions, People, and Photography blog in the first place. This backyard is the intersection where so many Georgetown local small businesses connect and create community, joining together the Root to Rise Plant Shop, Rose & Dagger Coffee Company, The Studio GTX, and many more. 

Madison and Jax, the owners of Rose & Dagger Coffee Company have been a huge inspiration for me to use my talents and passions (writing and photography) to help share not only the stories of small businesses in Georgetown, Texas, but to really help locals connect with the owners through more than just transactional relationships. I’ve watched them throw community events that uplift other small businesses, give back to their community with food drives, and serve the city of Georgetown with love, positivity, and fantastic coffee. When you buy from a local business, you’re doing more than just paying for a product, you’re supporting small local businesses. Your dollars allow them to buy their groceries, pay their employees, and continue serving their communities by pursuing their passions. As a small business owner myself, I understand just how crucial this relationship is to creating vibrant and thriving communities. So explains this blog you are currently reading!

So, why should you care what I have to say? Well, if you don’t already know me, let me introduce myself and you can determine that for yourself. I’m Korbyn, a small-town creative currently residing in Georgetown, Texas. I’m a writer by education, a photographer by trade, and I’m the sole owner and operator of McKale Visuals, my creative photography business. I’m also a fiancee to an amazing active duty service member who is currently deployed overseas, a flower-child at heart, and I’ve got an affinity for golden retrievers, home-cooked meals, and paperback books. In short, I’m just your average local creative with a deep passion for connection. My hope with this blog is to connect you to a new (or long-standing) local small business in Central Texas each week that you may not know about. If you’re interested, you can read more about me and what inspired me to start this project here: Passions, People, and Photography - An Introduction.

I know how easy it is to feel disconnected, especially these days, and my goal is to help locals find their people. We are so much stronger when we come together and support one another, when we shop small and keep our dollars local, and when we find places and faces that help us feel like we truly belong. For me, the first time I stepped into that backyard, I was overwhelmed with that feeling of belonging.

When I first arrived in Georgetown two years ago, a creative photographer from small-town Oklahoma starting her business over again from scratch, my first step was to find other female-owned small businesses in Georgetown that could help me get my footing. What I didn’t expect was that I would find a kind and incredibly supportive community in that lovely little backyard that would help me make connections and build me up at every turn. Madison Vacek, co-owner of Rose & Dagger Coffee Company, was one of those supportive women that never ceased to be encouraging and collaborative. This is how I knew she would be my first feature on Passions, People, and Photography.

When I asked Madison what her true passion was, she actually barely mentioned coffee at all. Her drive, it seemed to me, was so much more about how her coffee shop made people feel rather than providing a product or even falling in love with a process. What she said struck me. It was something I could relate to, something I think we all crave. Thus began my interview with her. I needed to know her story, the Rose & Dagger Coffee Company story. Here’s what she said:

“My true passion is creating a space that feels welcoming and comfortable. I love bringing people together and turning something simple, like coffee, into a moment that feels special. 

…coffee is just the starting point, but connection and community are really what it’s about! I want people to feel good when they show up, even if it’s just for a quick stop.”

This is exactly why I’ve always felt like I belonged at Rose & Dagger Coffee Company. Like so many other small businesses in Georgetown, Rose & Dagger Coffee Company began as a way to serve the community, not as a get-rich-quick scheme, or even as an escape from the 9-5. Madison went on to tell me about how they got started, including the precious story of how her and her husband (and co-owner) Jax initially met working together at a coffee shop in New Braunfels, bonding over their love of coffee and coffee culture. From there, it was history! They fell in love and began dreaming about opening their own shop together one day, which today is a dream come true. Talk about meet-cute with a fairytale ending! Who wouldn’t be inspired by such a sweet love story? 

I wanted to know everything. Had she always been inspired by her passion for connection, or did it come when she was older? To that, she said this with a laugh:

“I’ve always loved creating and making people feel welcome. Even as a kid, I was drawn to hosting, decorating, and bringing people together! My mom used to call me a butterfly because I was so social and would jump from person to person talking to them about their day even if I didn’t know them. It was a good and bad thing at 7 years old.”

We giggled together. Madison’s laughter is always contagious, and her light-hearted humor makes every interaction with her so easy and fun. At one point, a morbid thought crossed my mind– surely it’s not all sunshine and rainbows though, right? I mean, every good thing has some kind of concession. I got curious and asked about the downsides of her business. Here’s what she said:

“It’s hard to shut off. When you care this much, it’s easy to overwork and forget to slow down sometimes. I’m still figuring out the balance of it all, but seeing and hearing the community we’ve created just from our coffee truck makes it all worth it!” 

Leave it to Madison to put a positive spin on getting burned out. It’s the perpetual struggle of the small business owner. How do you balance pursuing your passion, making enough money, pouring into the community, and taking time for yourself to rest and reset? It’s a struggle I think we can all relate to, which leads me to my favorite quote from Madison.

“You don’t have to be perfect to build something special. Being consistent, genuine, and showing up as yourself goes a long way.”

She said this was her most valuable lesson learned from pursuing her passion, and I think it’s fantastic life advice for anyone. Showing up as your genuine self is difficult sometimes. It feels vulnerable. What if someone doesn’t like the real you? It can feel scary. Rejection, judgement, ridicule– all things that many of us hide from and don’t want to face. Especially when you have to make a living doing it! This is why small businesses run by people showing up as their authentic selves everyday shine all the brighter. This is why I aim to support Georgetown local businesses like Rose & Dagger Coffee Company by sharing their stories of bravely pursuing their passions and encouraging others to do the same.

To wrap it all up, my final question for Madison was posed as an opportunity to share a message with you, my readers. What did she wish more people knew about her passion? Here’s how she answered:

“That it’s about so much more than coffee. There’s a lot of heart, care, time and intention behind every cup and every interaction. This has been our dream since we were 19 and the fact that we’re here today doing the damn thing, it’s really a dream come true.” 

I couldn’t have concluded it better myself, but don’t just take it from me! I reached out to Georgetown local and Rose and Dagger regular, Angelo Person, for a quick comment about the Georgetown coffee truck, and here’s what he had to say:

“Rose & Dagger serves consistently excellent, flavorful coffee at refreshingly fair prices. But what makes R&D truly special is the heart behind it. The couple who run it are an absolute joy to talk to, and are deeply invested in creating a welcoming space that brings the community together. Every visit brightens my day, and their coffee truck perfectly captures what makes Georgetown such a special place.”

There you have it. If you love plants, tiny tattoos, the outdoors, and good coffee made by even better people, you will love Rose & Dagger Coffee Company, located in the heart of Georgetown, Texas. 1005 S Rock St., Georgetown, TX 78626. Drop by Tuesday through Saturday before 2pm, and let them know that Korbyn sent you!

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Love y’all!