PROGRESS: One Sioux City coffee supplier undergoes ownership change, another rebrands

That was because Stacy Orndorff took possession of the 1301 Third St. coffeehouse roaster and supply company in May 2023.

As the founder of and longtime CEO of Heartland Coffee & Nosh -- a popular assortment of mobile food trucks -- she was certainly no stranger to the caffeinated world of coffee.

"I sold a lot of coffee inside the food truck, became knowledgeable in what I liked and what my customers like," Orndorff explained. "I've taken that know-how to Coffee King."

"The big difference is that I don't have to do it in a food truck in freezing cold weather or on a hot summer day," she said with a smile. "That's the benefit of having a desk job."

However, Orndorff wants Coffee King -- which supplies and equips coffeehouses and business offices across the country -- to have a bigger presence in its hometown.

"Coffee King is an iconic name in Sioux City but you either know where we're located or you don't," she said inside of a building that is somewhat obscured by a bridge off of Floyd Blvd. "I'd like the business to have a larger footprint locally."

While Orndorff wanted to raise Coffee King's profile, Brad Lepper wanted to differentiate the supply side and the retail side of his business.

This was why Lepper, CEO of Stone Bru, renamed his 101 W. Third St. coffee roasting, coffee supply and coffee parlor with the historically significant moniker of Council Oak Supply Co.

Stone Bru, which Lepper founded more than seven years ago, will continue to be the name of the popular 5822 Sunnybrook Drive eatery that serves subs, soups and sandwiches as well as coffee drinks.

"Local people know as Stone Bru," he explained. "As we expand our coffee roasting and equipment side to a national audiences, we wanted a slight rebrand."

Don't worry, Council Oak also has a very Sioux City-centric history.

According to legend, a large oak tree -- affectionately known as Council Oak and located inside of Riverside Park -- was the site of many peaceful meetings between Native American tribespeople and early Sioux City settlers.

Council Oak was also the name of a well-remembered chain of grocery stores headquartered in Sioux City during the first half of the 20th century.

However, Lepper is pleased with the comfy, club-like coffee parlor of his W. Third St. location.

"We wanted our W. Third St. spot to be open and accessible to the public," he said. "It is a great place to purchase some freshly-roasted coffee whole grabbing a cup of something special while you wait."

Perhaps not too surprisingly, many of Council Oak's signature coffees have uniquely Sioux City names. 

For instance, the Guatemala and Peru medium roast coffee is called Prospect Hill while the dark roast War Eagle is named after Chief War Eagle, a Dakota-born tribal chief of the Yankton Sioux tribe.

These coffees will soon be joined by the Big Sioux Caffeinated and the Little Sioux Decaffeinated blends.

"For many years, Sioux City was the home for major wholesale grocery dealers," Lepper said. "We want Council Oak to pay homage to Sioux City's colorful history while still being on the cutting edge of today's coffee economy."

Coffee King's Stacy Orndorff feels the same way.

While she personally prefers to drink her coffee black and steaming hot, the marketplace is changing.

"Younger people like their coffee cold -- as in cold brews and iced coffees," she explained. "It doesn't matter what time of the year it is, cold coffees are the rage these days."