Toe Beans Coffee House Pays it Forward for Humans and Animals in St. Joseph

by Cassie Bond
Since March 2023, Toe Beans Coffee House has focused on delicious drinks, homemade food, and giving back to the local community.

“Our mission is to be a paws-itive impact cafe. We aim to serve our community not only with delicious food and drinks, but also with social responsibility and sustainability,” says owner Sara Parks.

Toe Beans’ drinks include matcha, lemonade, tea, coffee, cocoa, and frappes. Seasonal beverages and flavors are also offered on a rotating basis. The food menu features homemade pop tarts, savory sandwich rollups, mini pancakes, and Cravings Cups with veggie, fruit, or meat and cheese. Smoothies are available during the spring and summer, and soup flights are offered in the fall and winter. Various vegan and gluten-free options are available, and the shop accommodates customers with as many allergy alternatives as possible.

Most items can be ordered online for in-store pickup or delivery through DoorDash
A “Cup of Kindness” or “Pastry it Forward” can be purchased in person or online and placed on the Blessing Board, providing a drink or snack to someone in need. If the board is empty, staff will fill an 8 oz cup for free in exchange for making a “paws-itive” impact in the community by taking a doggy bag from the front door to collect and dispose of litter. “Mugs on a Mission” donates a 12 oz. drink specifically to a participant at the St. Joseph YWCA. Toe Beans offers live music, pop-up vendor events, and craft days. Patrons also gather here for Silent Book Club, where they can drink coffee and read together “in silent camaraderie.”

“Toe Beans” are the soft pads on cat paws, and as the name implies, the shop is all about pets, too. The shop is a wholesale partner with Kitty Town Coffee, and a portion of the profit from every bag sold or used at Toe Beans benefits the animals at the St. Joseph Animal Shelter.
Due to Missouri health code regulations, only ADA service animals are allowed inside the café. However, Parks hopes to one day have a location with the space and necessary amenities to allow animals indoors.

“We do have a long term goal to offer an indoor space for animals. We hope [our space will be] large enough one day for pet visitors and resident animals or on-site adoptions through the shelter,” she says.

There are hurdles to overcome to make that dream a reality, but in the meantime Parks works hard to make the shop as accessible to pet owners as possible. The patio is pet-friendly and offers a hydration station. Mobile orders and to-go orders placed at the register can be delivered to the patio for customers’ enjoyment, and pup cups are also available for free with any purchase.

Toe Beans won a City of St. Joseph Sustainable Environment Advisory Committee (SEAC) 2024 Sustainable Business Award for modeling sustainability practices. Toe Beans offers reusable mugs (and a discount on drinks for using one!), second-hand books, provides a compost bin for suitable items, freezes leftover coffee to cool iced coffee drinks, promotes pets available for adoption at the St. Joseph Animal Shelter, and more. They currently have a St. Joseph Community Gardens planter in front of the store, giving away the herbs and vegetables after harvesting.

The coffee shop is a great asset to the downtown community and St. Joseph. Stop by for a tasty treat and help support this small business, which in turn helps support animal adoption, the local community, and sustainability. They are so much more than your average coffee shop.

Toe Beans is located at 114 S. Eighth St. next to the historic Missouri Theatre, and is open from 7-3, Thursday through Sunday.