September Newsletter

Families Invited to “Storytime with Stella”

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Families are invited to gather for “Storytime with Stella,” a weekly wonderland of stories, connection, and kindness at Esteamed Coffee's cozy story nook this fall. Storytime with Stella will be held every Sunday from September 7th through October 19th, from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm at Esteamed Coffee, 114 S. Academy Street, Cary, NC 27511. The heartfelt children’s book, “Stella Finds Her Place,” about inclusion, courage, and discovering where you truly belong, will be read each week. The book was written by Morgan Mize, Esteamed Coffee’s Assistant General Manager, and reflects the heart of Esteamed Coffee.

Everyone is invited to be part of the story at Esteamed Coffee’s Storytime with Stella. These

events are free and open to the public. Complimentary refreshments and goodie bags will be provided to children attending Storytime with Stella. Storytime with Stella’s exclusive sponsor is Priorities ABA, Cary’s premiere contemporary applied behavior analysis (ABA) provider of center-based and in-home and center-based autism services for children and adolescents.

For more information about Esteamed Coffee’s Storytime with Stella, visit the dedicated Facebook page or the events page on our website.

Fall into Seasonal Flavors!

This season, we’ve created a lineup of cozy, heartwarming drinks to make every sip feel like a hug in a mug. From the nutty Hazelnut Patch (pumpkin + hazelnut perfection) to the smoky and smooth Smoke Butterscotch Latte, there’s a cup for every mood. Of course, fall wouldn’t be complete without our classic Pumpkin Spice, a pumpkin latte with a sprinkle of warming cinnamon.

Looking for something extra unique? Try the Harvest Hug (hot apple cider with oat milk and cinnamon) or the Nutty Matcha (a green tea latte with Irish cream). And don’t worry - every drink can be made hot or iced so you can enjoy them your way. Come taste the flavors of fall and let’s celebrate the season together. Whether you’re here for your morning pick-me-up, an afternoon chat, or just to soak in the cozy vibes, we can’t wait to see you.

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Mission Moment

Esteamed X Engineers!

What happens if you put a group of first-year engineering students in a room and have them use their outside-the-box thinking to solve local business problems? Duke's Pratt School of Engineering is doing just that with their EGR 101 class.

Esteamed Coffee cashier Ladd Alexander, Operations Director Rebecca Malynowsky and Executive Director Julie Walker recently joined several other local leaders in presenting a project to EGR 101 students at Duke University. Our problem statement was that Ladd needs to complete the checkout process using one hand, a unique challenge. To support his workflow, we’re exploring a way to make grabbing the ticket from the printer and attaching it to the cup easier. We tasked students with creating something that will help hold the cup and the tape dispenser steady in a limited space.

The real impact of our visit came when students rotated around the classroom after the presentations, asking questions and learning more about each business problem. Ladd engaged confidently with every student, sharing the challenges of his role and demonstrating why the current solution isn't the ideal one. Seeing our staff openly discuss ableism in the workplace in order to come to a solution was a powerful reminder of why we do what we do at Esteamed Coffee every day. We are hopeful that a group of students will take on our project as part of their coursework, and come up with a creative solution for our employees.

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