Day: December 6, 2024

Jason Scott is a former teacher who likes to tinker with things as a self-taught engineer. So, it makes sense that he’ll be opening a coffee shop in downtown Olathe, right? Actually, it does. It makes complete sense. Sort of. “It’s just like a lot of businesses,” Scott said with a smile. “It’s just a hobby that got out of control.” His hobby turned into Hermetheus Coffee, and they’ll be opening their storefront early 2025 at 101 S. Kansas Ave. The story behind the creation of Hermetheus Coffee is just as cool as the state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind coffee shop will be here in the heart of downtown Olathe. “I was a home roaster, loved roasting coffee, and I also dabble a bit in engineering, so I got into the science of roasting coffee,” he added. “I had the coffee roaster that a lot of roasters use, but coffee roasters are manual, so you have to manually control the heat throughout the whole roasting process, which is very hard to do. “I developed this little robotic device, like is literally a robotic knob that controls the heat. Instead of manually controlling the heat, the device does it for you.” Simply, the Hermetheus Roaster Co-Pilot Automation Kit takes the dirty work out of roasting coffee. “I developed it purely just as a side project. There’s an algorithm that runs on the software,” he said. “I map out what I want the coffee roast to be, and then, hit ‘go’ and then the robotics look at what the temperature is, and adjust the heat, accordingly, two times a second. It’s an incredible system. “That doesn’t matter if you’re roasting one pound or 12 pounds of beans. It accounts for all of those variables.” A friend told him he should package the product and sell it to other coffee roasters, even though Scott thought it may be too cost prohibitive. “I just put it on Facebook,” he said. “Other roasters found out about it, and people started buying them and when I say, ‘people started buying,’ I’m talking around the globe. His Co-Pilot is on roasters in New Zealand, Romania, Wales, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, dozens of roasters in Canada and nearly all 50 states. “The largest manufacturer of fluid bed roasters, in Idaho, saw my device,” Scott said. “I gave the owner of that company a demo, and as soon as he saw it, he said, ‘This has to go on every roaster I sell.’ “Now my device goes out the door with every Coffee Crafter roaster.” Scott then started selling his coffee at the Olathe Farmer’s Market and developed quite a following. Enter the first brick and mortar Hermetheus Coffee, because in addition to his passion for roasting coffee, Scott realized something when he was selling his Co-Pilot and selling coffee at the Olathe Farmer’s Market – he’s a people person. “The interaction with the people is actually what drives me,” he said. “I enjoy the engineering side and I enjoy the roasting side, but what really gives me life is interacting with the people that are enjoying the coffee. “Roasting the beans is just roasting the beans. If you just roast and it goes on a grocery store shelf, you never have any interaction with people. When you have a farmer’s market set up, or a coffee shop, you’re seeing the people, and you’re getting to talk about it.” That’s where the teacher in him shines through. “I still miss teaching, and so this also gives me some semblance of that, just being able to talk to people about the process and what makes it different,” he said. “I love talking to them about why this cup of coffee is different than that cup of coffee.” That’s what led him to open a coffee shop in the suddenly burgeoning downtown Olathe. Scott wanted to capitalize on the momentum he’s seeing in downtown. “Some people are already seeing it, but there’s a lot more momentum that people aren’t even seeing yet,” he said. “There is a wave coming, and we just want to be here.” Olathe is home to the Scotts. “We’ve always been Olathe-based. We live in Olathe. We taught in Olathe. Our daughter graduated from Olathe schools,” he added. “Being in downtown Olathe felt the most authentic, like we’re not just buying into a retail space. This felt more emotional than that. It’s so cool seeing all the businesses that are coming in and we wanted to be part of that. We wanted to put our best foot forward, and try to make this something really, really cool.” https://youtu.be/MjEnmYeWnZA It certainly will be cool. Not just as a cool new coffee hangout in Olathe, but the experience in Hermetheus Coffee will be like no other in the area, the region, even across the country. It starts when you walk in the door and see the one-of-a-kind, self-service coffee roaster. It’s a German-built machine with hand polished chrome, glass and is LED backlit with a touchscreen, according to Scott. It’s one of only three of these machines that made their way over to the U.S. about seven years ago. Shortly thereafter, the company went out of business. The unique roaster will allow people to do is choose any of their green, unroasted coffee beans. “They choose whatever they want,” Scott said. “They could do half Colombian and half Ethiopian, or whatever and pour it in the top of this machine. Then, on the touch screen, they select the roast level that they want, and then they close the door, the magic happens. It’s roasted right there before their eyes. You see beans dropping from one chamber to another.” Scott got the machine from Virginia, brought it back to Olathe and let his engineering mind take over. That roaster isn’t the only unique item that will make Hermetheus a one-of-a-kind destination. A bit farther back is another marvel of modern (or not so modern) technology, an Alpha Dominche Steampunk. Not only will

At a special ribbon cutting ceremony of the opening of the Children’s Mercy and Camber Mental Health Mental Wellness Campus last month, the President and CEO of Children’s Mercy, Paul Kempinski, MS, FACHE, said it best. “A bold initiative like this doesn’t happen without a great partnership like this,” he said at the ceremony. Two simple words – bold and partnership – now means so much to so many. The Mental Health Campus began as a dream, born of a relationship. More than five years ago, Jason Hooper, the CEO of KVC Health Systems, and Kempinski began discussing what the needs were in the community and where they needed to focus their efforts. From those conversations, a partnership was created. And last week, a new chapter in mental health care began with the opening of a 72,700 sq. ft., state-of-the-art mental wellness campus. This $53 million facility is designed to address the urgent and growing demand for inpatient youth and adult mental health treatment, offering care to more than 3,400 clients annually. The campus features a 72-bed hospital and aims to fill a critical gap in mental health care, particularly for young patients. Last year alone, more than 4,000 children and teens visited Children’s Mercy’s emergency room for behavioral health challenges, and one out of every five required inpatient care — a resource often hard to find. This bold, joint venture between Children’s Mercy and KVC Health Systems opens so many opportunities for help in the world of mental health. Camber Mental Health will operate the Olathe campus. The mental health campus, featuring 48 pediatric beds (ages 6 to 18) and 24 adult beds (ages 18 and older) in fully separate units. It features six interior and exterior courtyards, large dayrooms, and dining and activity spaces. https://youtu.be/hPFahcb1uD8 A Response to Urgent Need “We aren’t going to fix everything with our hospital, but we hope that we make a positive contribution,” Sara Schlagel, LSCSW, LCSW, Senior Vice President at Children’s Mercy + Camber Mental Health said. She emphasized the overwhelming need for mental health beds. She said, “The number of children who had been waiting for a bed was just not OK.” Hooper echoed this sentiment at the ribbon cutting ceremony. “We were at a point of crisis. People in need of mental health help don’t know who to go to or even who to ask,” he said. The campus is designed to provide acute care services for children and adults during mental health crises. The goal is to offer a safe, supportive environment for individuals to reset, heal, and move forward. A Unique, Evidence-Based Design What sets this mental health campus apart is its intentional design, which incorporates evidence-based practices and environmental considerations to enhance patient care. Natural light and calming aesthetics: Large windows and natural light feature prominently, recognizing the impact of light on mental health. The colors and flooring throughout the facility were carefully chosen to create a calming and safe atmosphere. Expressive therapies: Patients have access to art, music, and recreational therapy, with dedicated therapists working with youth and adults alike. A multipurpose space facilitates group therapies, offering patients additional opportunities to engage and heal. Best Practices from across the U.S.: Lessons learned from a hospital opened in Wichita five years ago and insights from facilities across the nation were integrated into the campus’s design, ensuring it meets the highest standards of care. Attending to employee needs, too: The new facility includes features that ensure employees have a space to regroup, recharge, and to be their best selves when they’re at work, too. Mental health is a priority – whether working with patients or with employees. “We’ve utilized state-of-the-art environmental considerations and evidence-based practices that help us provide services in a way that we’ve never been able to provide before,” Schlagel said. https://youtu.be/5JDWUhh-2qI Community Support The realization of this campus was made possible through the generosity of organizations and individuals. Major contributors included the Sunderland Foundation, the State of Kansas, For the Kids Foundation, Kao Family Foundation, and many additional caring individuals. A Vision for the Future This campus represents a significant step forward in addressing the mental health crisis. As Schlagel said, “This is an accumulation of our own experience over the years to really make this hospital unique.” The facility is a testament to innovation, collaboration and the shared commitment to improving lives during the hardest times. This new mental health campus stands as a beacon of hope, offering critical care to individuals and families when they need it most. Growing Together With growth comes growing challenges and KVC is no different than any organization, company or small business entrepreneur.  Check out some of the great career options with KVC here. From case workers to nurses, behavioral health techs to direct care professionals, at KVC you’ll become part of a close-knit team and feel the deep sense of meaning. See why here.