You gotta love a story of steady growth in the coffee world. In a time where VC money sees brands rise precipitously—only to crater just as hard once the funds dry up—seeing a brand carve out a place for themselves through patience and diligence is hard not to root for. That’s Airship Coffee. The Bentonville-based coffee company started as a roaster eight years before opening their first cafe. Now, seven years on, they’re opening their fifth, a gorgeous new space they are calling Airship on The Porch.
They soft opened at the end of June and hard launched the month after. So let’s cozy up on the porch and take in some of the Northwest Arkansas sun while we learn more about the all new Airship Coffee.
The 2025 Build-Outs of Coffee is sponsored by Pacific Barista Series, La Marzocco, Ceado, and Dona.
As told to Sprudge by Ethan Butler-Hawkins.
For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?
Airship Coffee is an independent roaster opening our fifth unique cafe location in Bentonville, Arkansas. Airship has a wholehearted commitment to placemaking which informs the unique cafe experience at each of our five locations, from a neighborhood cafe to our spot in the woods on the Coler Mountain bike preserve, and now Airship on The Porch. Airship was founded by Mark and Amber Bray when they became inspired by the coffee trade while working on sustainable agricultural projects in Central America, with a small roastery opening in Bentonville in 2010. In 2018, we opened our first cafe! Today, we ship our coffee nationwide to customers, retailers, and cafes, while also perfecting the cafe experience in a quickly growing area here in Northwest Arkansas.
Can you tell us a bit about the new space?
Our new location, dubbed “Airship on The Porch,” is in the heart of the new Wal-Mart HQ Campus. The cafe takes its name from founders Mark and Amber’s favorite way to enjoy a cup of coffee: While watching the sun rise from their porch. Airship believes that a porch, a humble fixture that aligns houses and community spaces all across the globe, is a place that fosters both communication and solitude. Sitting on a porch can offer serenity, laughter, and memories between friends and loved ones. This philosophy is the North Star behind the cultivated experience at Airship on The Porch. The cafe’s interior is alive with greenery and permeated by natural light from the windows that line the entirety of the west, north, and southern facing walls. Just outside the building is a covered porch that provides even more seating than there is inside filled with contemporary seating that accommodates large groups and intimate conversation alike. The space is designed to be a reprieve from the workday and a destination for both locals and visitors.
What’s your approach to coffee?
Airship’s approach to coffee is one centered on elevating the coffee experience for people everywhere. Specialty coffee has long been coupled with a brand of pretension that closes it off from people who aren’t yet enthusiasts—our cafe’s and our roastery both operate with the vision of allowing everyone to enjoy specialty coffee.
Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?
We’ve just launched a new coffee, Hafi Natural from Burundi, a delightfully jammy and floral cup that can be found bagged on shelves at our new cafe, while also being available as a pourer option. At Airship on The Porch, and all of our cafe’s, visitors have the opportunity to purchase our limited edition coffees, as well as our staples.
In keeping with Airship’s commitment to quality, the bar at Airship on The Porch is equipped with a La Marzocco Linea PB and a Swan espresso grinder.
How is your project considering sustainability?
We’ve considered sustainability with Airship on The Porch by continuing our commitment to bike and walk accessibility. The cafe is positioned mere yards off of the Razorback Greenway, a 40-mile paved bike and walking trail that connects the entirety of the Northwest Arkansas metro, which was incredibly important to us given our history of prioritizing sustainable transportation.
What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?
We soft opened on June 23, and we’re now open Monday–Friday 7-2, with the potential to expand hours.
Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?
We’ve worked with Emile Holmewood, our illustrator based in Tokyo, on the project. He cultivated new isometric illustrations, as well as helping with graphics for signage.
Thank you!
The 2025 Build-Outs of Coffee is sponsored by Pacific Barista Series, La Marzocco, Ceado, and Dona.
