TipTop Of The Iceberg: Leveraging Funding into Large Local Investment

TipTop no longer needs us. The business now has the resources and collateral to qualify for conventional financing. But back in 2012, when Cade and Carrie Archuleta were purchasing a small coffee business in Tucker County, things were a little different.

The $5,300 we lent, combined with a larger loan a couple of years later, kicked off and then sustained TipTop through a challenging period of growth. After purchasing Hypnocoffee in 2012, the Archuletas rebranded as TipTop and eventually settled into a Thomas storefront. In 2019 they expanded, opening a second shop in Elkins.

When they learned that their Thomas landlords were selling the building, Cade and Carrie managed to purchase a property down the street with market-rate bank financing.

After a complete renovation, they opened the doors of their new shop in what is now perhaps the most eye-catching building on a block of iconic buildings on Thomas’ Front Street. The new shop has had a line out the front door since it opened and has precipitated multiple record sales days for the business.

TipTop has been named the best coffee shop in West Virginia multiple times by WV Living, and in 2023 is also in the running for “Best Place to Work” in the state. The shop is a tourist institution in its own right, attracting coffee aficionados to Randolph and Tucker Counties.

This success benefits more than just the business owners. They support the community by hiring many long-term employees, selling locally produced products to their robust customer base, and helping local organizations, schools, and projects with donations, hosting fundraisers, and other community initiatives.

After ten years of long hours, hard work, and more investment, TipTop is a local institution, known throughout the state and beyond, as a leader in the industry.