Joe Van Gogh

Have a Cup dept.

A couple of years ago, I was playing at a club in Durham, North Carolina. I had made sure to learn my “Coach K” song since I was in Duke country.

So that’s what I was thinking about.

It was thus quite out of the blue when I was approached by a certain Robbie Roberts, who informed me that not only did he have a coffee company in the area, with half a dozen outlets where people could buy coffee and also sit and enjoy a cup with some breakfast snacks, but that the coffee company was called “Joe Van Gogh.”

“What a funny coincidence,” I said, “I happen to have a song called ‘Joe Van Gogh.’”

“Yes,” he replied, “I know. We named the company after your song.”

Well, you could have knocked me over with a coffee bean.

How about that!

You just never know, I guess. Now, having a coffee company named for one of your songs may not equal snagging a couple of Grammys. Or a gold record. Or being in the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame, or having your own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

But still. It’s a thing.

There’s no “Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again” Coffee Company. To my knowledge.

There’s no “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” Coffee Company, no “Hey Jude” Coffee Company. No “Me and You and a Dog Named Boo” Coffee Company.

To my knowledge.

So I was, as they say, chuffed.

A couple years later, on another swing through the area, I stopped in one morning at the Joe Van Gogh Coffee Company and played “Joe Van Gogh” for the morning patrons.

It felt like a pretty historic occasion, like an orchestra playing Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in his hometown of Bonn. Or like midnight in Greenwich, England.

Pretty much like that.

The people drinking their coffee at the Joe Van Gogh Coffee Company seemed mildly confused as to why some guy was playing this song while they were getting caffeinated. Except for the people I had tipped off at my show that this was going to happen. They were ready. They were pretty charged up.

As was I. As I continue to be. I have played the song a lot more ever since learning about the Joe Van Gogh Coffee Company.

And don’t kid yourself—the folks in the Raleigh-Durham area know their coffee. They wouldn’t drink just any old brand. These are coffee mavens. And they drink Joe Van Gogh coffee.

And so can you, the next time you’re in the Raleigh-Durham area.

You can drink Joe Van Gogh coffee, and sing the Joe Van Gogh song.

And the Coach K song. You can sing that, too.

—

“Joe Van Gogh”:

“Coach K song”:

And here’s a news flash—but Good News—see below—they will still be known as the JOE VAN GOGH COFFEE COMPANY!! Whew!

Joe Van Gogh Joins FairWave Coffee Collective in Latest Deal

Daily Coffee News Staff | February 3, 2026

Press photo courtesy of FairWave Coffee Collective.

FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective is acquiring North Carolina-based roaster and cafe chain Joe Van Gogh Coffee, growing FairWave’s footprint in the region following the 2025 acquisition of Raleigh’s Black & White Coffee Roasters.

Financial terms of the deal, announced by FairWave on Feb. 2, were not disclosed.

FairWave, based in Kansas City and backed by Great Range Capital, said its holdings now include 14 coffee, tea and bakery brands operating in more than 40 cafes, roasteries and bakeries. FairWave brands currently operate in the regional markets of Kansas City, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Baltimore/Annapolis and North Carolina’s Triangle.

The company most recently acquired Milwaukee-area roaster and cafe chain Fiddleheads Coffee.

Joe Van Gogh traces its roots to Raleigh, where founder Robbie Roberts began roasting coffee in 1991. The company opened its first cafe in Chapel Hill in 1995 and has since grown into a business spanning cafes, wholesale, e-commerce, training and equipment service, FairWave said.

Joe Van Gogh’s website lists six cafes in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, including a UNC campus cafe, and roasting operations based in Hillsborough.

Press photo courtesy of FairWave Coffee Collective.

The company, which takes its name from a Dan Bern song, has incorporated a range of environmental sustainability initiatives into its operations, including solar panels on its roastery roof and compostable single-use packaging in cafes.

According to a media guide provided by FairWave, each brand continues to be operated by its own staff and regional market leadership, while FairWave provides “backend support to help these brands thrive.”

“We are beyond impressed and inspired by the Joe Van Gogh team on so many levels, and we’re really excited to work with them,” Isaac Hodges, president of growth at FairWave said in an announcement of the deal. “They care about their people and their community above all else. Their team is stacked with experienced industry leaders who hold deep expertise across many disciplines.”