North Dakota coffee shop has no employees, runs entirely on the honor system…and it’s working

In the town of Valley City, North Dakota, a former bank has been renovated and is now The Vault, a go-to coffee shop for the small community. Of course it has coffee, tea, and a few pastries…otherwise it wouldn’t really be a coffee shop.

But what it doesn’t have is what sets it apart — Employees.

Nobody works at The Vault. The owners Kimberly and David Brekke stop by to keep it stocked, but that’s it. Prices are clearly marked for customers who get whatever they want, add up their own total, and then swipe their credit card or slip cash or check into the slot on the counter. It’s entirely run on the honor system.

Is it working? Yes, it is.

David says that, while they aren’t making money yet because of the costs of renovations, revenue is 15% higher than if customers only paid the marked prices…

(via Say Anything)

Congrats to the Brekkes for having the guts and creativity to try this out…and to Valley City, ND for being honest enough to make it work.

Would this work in your neighborhood?

Read more: http://twentytwowords.com/how-one-north-dakota-cafe-thrives-despite-rejecting-what-every-other-cafe-needs-to-survive/

16 responses to “North Dakota coffee shop has no employees, runs entirely on the honor system…and it’s working”

  1. Allison says:

    Why does every story have to deteriorate into a racist diatribe? Let’s just enjoy this “good news” article and move on.

  2. hemolysis says:

    For some reason, I could not reply to your other reply below so I will reply to this one instead (time zone differences).So what you’re saying essentially, is that when it’s a white collar crime, then it’s just an economic issue but when it’s a blue collar crime, then clearly it’s just blacks committing them.Can you please enlighten the rest of us on how people who stole millions and even billions are not considered criminals, yet those who steal a pair of shoes or other minor things are criminals?

  3. Tyrone says:

    And it’s people like you who have already made life hard for us thieving scum, only you can’t see it because you don’t need to worry about issues like discrimination and equal opportunity. It’s really unfortunate that horrible people get the luck of the draw. Enjoy your days while they last sir.

  4. hemolysis says:

    That is the unfortunate state of our society. And it will continue as long as funds for education are cut and more and more people are less educated. There are people who are doing this intentionally. They believe it is easier to control people who are less educated. They do not want the kind of people who will question things and can reason properly.

  5. anthony says:

    all the ghetto blacks here would rape that store dry in a night. lol no chance.that must be an all white/asian area to work.

  6. cody says:

    no one has stolen more then white america….even in todays modern worlds whites still surpass blacks,mexicans, hell any race really in theft by billions. lol idiot.

  7. Jon says:

    This would never work in a city. Cool regardless.

  8. Bob says:

    That is only the 1%, 2%-80% is pretty ok people.

  9. mike says:

    Actually all of that money that was “stolen” was actually risky investments and borrowing beyond means by people who had a complete and utter choice in the matter. When you invest money you risk a chance of losing it. Otherwise there would be no economic way to justify a gain from it. Further when you borrow more than you can afford you end up losing your house. When you buy a house you are making a large investment in real property. Sometimes it goes up and everyone acts like money grows on trees. Sometimes it goes down and everyone acts like money was stolen from them.

  10. Weaver says:

    >We should be having so many black millionaires and billionaires in the USThey end up spending it all on ridiculous giant chrome wheels and crack cocaine and end up being broke again by the next week. You obviously don’t know any spooks do you?

  11. hemolysis says:

    Hey Weaver, I was being sarcastic. You are right in saying that many of those black millionaires end up being poor. The thing is that those kinds of people are usually athletes or in the entertainment field. NOT the poeple who stole their money via wall street.

  12. Oliver says:

    Genius ! can’t wait to have this in Detroit.

  13. Elemento_P says:

    You funny. I once lived in the City. I have never seen a place where larceny was so interwoven into day-to-day life. If it wasn’t nailed and bolted down, it was gone.

  14. Anon says:

    and by 20%, you mean “people of a darker ethnicity”, yes?

  15. hemolysis says:

    Please see my reply to Balsac, which was actually meant for you.

  16. hemolysis says:

    Why does it have to be about race? In all groups of society, you fill find good and bad people. Whether they are blacks, whites, and everybody else in between. Just look up video of the Boston bombing to see the people who were walking away with clothes that were supposed to be for people who finished the marathon. AND this was AFTER a tragic event.

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