I’m on a quest to try all the coffee shops in the Des Moines area. Read my introduction post.
I’m very fond of the extra moments that I have in the “in-between.” There’s a certain peace and slowness that goes with having an hour or hour-and-a-half to kill – and the total lack of desire (or sensibility) to drive all the way home to just drive all the way back again. That is how I found myself at Freedom Coffee in Des Moines a few weeks ago.
Freedom Blend was originally on my list because I heard that they had gluten-free doughnuts for sale. They sell, like, THREE OR FOUR KINDS of gluten-free doughnuts (sourced by another company – I’m pretty sure they’re from Sweet Treats Without the Wheat based on all their doughnuts I’ve had at the Farmer’s Market). More importantly, they have a seasonal coffee menu. And more importantly than that, their overall mission of their business rounds out all the reasons why I will continue to have this coffee place on my regular tour.
From Freedom Blend’s webpage:
Several years ago, a study on the number of jobs available to teens in the inner city of Des Moines showed approximately 42 job types (newspaper carriers, fast food, etc.) An additional study revealed that adults held more than half of these jobs, proving that job development was crucial if we wanted to help young people break the generational poverty cycle. This was the driving force behind the founding of Freedom Blend Coffee in 2011 by Freedom for Youth.
When going to Freedom Blend for the first time, I actually passed it… because it didn’t outwardly look like your typical coffee place (the building is HUGE!). It was cool to learn a little bit of the history of the building (it was a former car wash!) and the history of how it got its start (roasting and selling beans). The coffee shop opened in 2017.
I’m pretty low-maintenance when it comes to getting coffee, but because of my food restrictions, I have to double-check ingredients and such. The barista went above-and-beyond to confirm my selections – and did so with probably as much joy as I had in learning that I was able to have what I wanted. My experience at Freedom Blend was so positive and more than just the coffee left me feeling warm and cozy. Their location is out of the way for any of my regular commutes, but I plan to drive out of my way more often.
Freedom Blend Coffee
2329 Hickman Road, Des Moines 50310
Hours: Mon-Thurs 6am-6pm | Fri-Sat 6am-9pm
IG: @FreedomBlendCoffee | FB: Freedom Blend Coffee