Small towns are known best for their hidden gems, especially locally owned small businesses. Wilmore is one of those small towns.
On the outside looking in, Wilmore has two stop lights, the campus of Asbury University and Asbury Theological Seminary. There is also Solomon’s Porch and Dollar General. But, the other hidden gems reside on the main street.
Randy and April Hardman started a “mug operation” in 2016. Randy Hardman began creating mugs with funny theological and literary quotes on one side and a picture of the theologian or artist on the other.
The Hardmans did not stop at just mugs and took their business up a notch. They began roasting coffee beans and crafting a coffee to occupy their mugs.
At first, they began roasting coffee beans “on a grill in the backyard,” said Hardman. They began selling bags at the Christmas Craft Fair in Wilmore, starting with small batches of coffee. The business began to grow, and “there was an opportunity to start a coffee shop,” which is exactly what they did.
In 2018 Drinklings moved into a brick-and-mortar on the main street to start their coffee shop. After two years, their business grew even more. The Hardmans started renovating a house to move their coffee shop into.
“We always had a dream that we could have like a pub English-style coffee house,” said Hardman. While visiting Europe, the Hardmans fell in love with the cozy pub feel of the coffee shops and wanted to bring that same feeling to Wilmore.
The Hardmans love collaborating with local artists and community members to bring their coffee shop to life. Inside Drinklings, local artists display and create several pieces of art.
The Hardman’s primary goal is to create a space where people can come and hang out and enjoy each other’s company. “What I enjoy most is that this is a place where people want to be,” said Hardman.
“I had a favorite coffee shop when I was in college that I loved, and I want it to be like that for other people,” said Hardman.
In the coming future, the Hardmans hope to continue to grow their coffee business. They want to have a constant place for the community to feel at home.
Currently, they participate in the Lexington Farmers Market to get their name out there and wholesale coffee to churches, which they hope to continue to expand.