Broken ArrowThursday, November 5
Not Your Average Joe closes its Broken Arrow coffee shop after losing state funding
The Daily Broken Arrow team
If you're a regular at Not Your Average Joe in Broken Arrow, the coffee shop has closed. The nonprofit announced Monday that its Broken Arrow and Choctaw locations shut down after its contract with the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services wasn't renewed.
The program let eligible Oklahoma students ages 16 to 21 complete up to 120 hours of paid job training. The nonprofit says it has now furloughed every student statewide and laid off dozens of employees. It also says it has asked the state what it would take to reinstate the program and hasn't heard back.
The closures cut off a program for students ages 16 to 21
- 2
- Oklahoma coffee shops closed, in Broken Arrow and Choctaw
- 120 hours
- of paid job training, at most, per student
- More than 100
- students took part at the Choctaw shop since 2023
Source: KOKH
- Contract: expired at the end of September
- Notice: the nonprofit learned in October it wouldn't be renewed
- Also affected: school districts that relied on the program
The closures came less than two months after the U.S. Department of Labor sued the nonprofit and its founder, Tim Herbel. The nonprofit has disputed some allegations, and its closure announcement didn't mention the suit.
The closures came after an October funding notice and a September lawsuit
- Sept. 11U.S. Department of Labor files a lawsuit against the nonprofit and its founder.
- Sept. 30The nonprofit's state contract expires.
- OctoberThe nonprofit learns the state contract will not be renewed.
- Nov. 2The nonprofit announces its Broken Arrow and Choctaw locations have closed.
Sources: 2 News Oklahoma KJRH Tulsa, KOKH, News On 6
Sources: 2 News Oklahoma KJRH Tulsa, KOKH, News On 6