Meet Landon Mcdaid | Owner of Hive Coffee Co.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Landon Mcdaid and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Landon, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Hive Coffee Co. in Suttons Bay, Michigan is a place where everyone is welcome and loved. This place has a dual and unique mission statement; to support local mental health and honey bee conservation. With a Scandinavian design style, people feel warm and at peace even in the harsh snow storms of Northern Michigan, as most of their mental health events occur in the winters. All this was intentional from the owners Landon and Nicole McDaid.

To understand the idea behind Hive is to understand the past of the owners. Growing up Landon loved to cook and bake with his parents and grandparents. Every night Landon would come home to a home cooked meal and sit with his friends and family. This blossomed into the love of simply hosting. Once Landon’s older sister moved away to Chicago to start in a culinary program, he realized this could be a career and also expanded his love, ideas, and opportunities surrounding food.

Landon went to Ferris State University in the fall of 2015. Two years into college and a degree change or two, he went from Environmental biology to the college of business for hospitality. Environmental biology was not a total waste, because this gave Landon a great passion for the environment and this lead to one of Hive’s mission statements.

Attending school and supporting his decision to switch majors was his girlfriend Nicole Majeske who lived across the hall in one of the dorms. Once Landon got into the Hospitality program, Nicole was accepted into the nursing program. After a couple of months they were losing themselves in their studies. Needing a way to reconnect, but also not being able to afford coffee dates every day, the two invested in their first espresso machine from Goodwill. Setting it up in their apartment above the local music store, Landon began making them drinks every morning and experimenting with different flavors and techniques. With cups in hand they would sit at their table to talk or listen to the amateurs play instruments below. They would talk about how today would be beautiful, and how they would learn and grow through the struggles of the day. This ritual they have created gave Landon the passion and hope that he could offer this experience to others. A place to reconnect, start your morning off positively, and move forward into the day with a better mindset. All funneling into Hive’s other mission statement.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
As mentioned Hive Coffee Co. has two missions. Having a mission at the core of your business helps you maintain the course and keep your sights on what really matters. In my eyes a business is meaningless unless you can use it to achieve great things. My hope is that others are influenced by our business model and start dedicating their businesses to bettering things around them.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is an easy one, because my best friend comes up quite often and as our only investor in Hive, I like to treat him to some fun places around the area!

My favorite things to do include taking in the wonderful nature in the Leelanau Peninsula and the local spots in town. If possible we love taking a boat around North Lake Leelanau and venturing up into Leland, where we will grab a quick bite at the Cheese Shanty or the Cove. North of Leland we enjoy hiking Houdek Dunes and Clay Cliffs. If we aren’t in the mood for a hike we will go to Van’s beach or Good Harbor Bay beach for some relaxation.

Venturing into Suttons Bay we love walking around the town and checking out the local businesses and what they have to offer. We always have to stop into Hive to grab a great coffee or sandwich. After a full day of shopping we love stopping into Hop Lot to grab a beer, a bite, and sit by one of the stoked fires for some much needed woodland atmosphere.

If we are looking for a little more excitement we will head down to Traverse City. We will walk front street until we get hungry enough for my favorite restaurant The Good Bowl. The Pho is amazing and so filling, but what is even more fulfilling is their support for good causes, donating a dollar of their entrees to different causes. This is why The Good Bowl is one of my favorite restaurants in Traverse City.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shoutout Elijah Nykamp. A local designer with a goal focused around textile sustainability, ethical sourcing, and zero waste. Elijah supports me in many ways, not just by coming in to buy a cup of coffee. On days off I often sit at his shop and enjoy the calm atmosphere and company he provides. We talk about our businesses, numbers, forecasting, and our personal lives. These talks often help me see things from a different angle, after he gives his prospective. He also allows me to talk through problems I am encountering.

He not only supports and mentors me as I navigate my new business, but he also brings friends, family, and clients of his into my shop. He asked my wife and I to model for one of his collections, and the next collection he came out with, he had my father and I walk in one of his fashion shows. He uses it as a way to also support Hive and talk about the “cool owners of Hive” modeling for him.

I am shouting him out because his love and support has been so unmatched and helpful to me. His business is so beautiful because it reflects his loving personality, attention to detail, and his different prospective on the world around him.

Website: https://hive-coffee.com

Instagram: @hive.coffee.co

Facebook: Hive Coffee Co.

Image Credits
Nicole McDaid