Discovering Mentorship Through an Omaha Coffee Crawl

How mentoring accidentally turned into an Omaha coffee crawl.

I recently realized that getting to know my apprentice, Tanneke, has quietly changed. It has turned into what people now call a coffee crawl. It’s not a planned route, no punch card, no “top ten” list. It’s simply a series of conversations that keep finding their way to good coffee.

Our very first meeting was at The Mill. I chose it deliberately. I wanted a place that felt neutral, comfortable, and a little bit cool. It needed to be somewhere we could talk openly about expectations and responsibilities. I wanted to discuss whether taking her as an apprentice felt right for both of us, so coffee was secondary. The conversation was the point.

Once Tanneke officially became my apprentice, practicality kicked in. I suggested we meet at McDonald’s next time, just in case cost or travel was an issue. That’s part of mentorship, too: removing barriers before they ever become awkward. As it turned out, neither was a concern—but McDonald’s also wasn’t a great fit for lingering conversations. So we migrated next to the nearby Starbucks, which was better… but still not quite us.

Not long after, we decided to put our money where our values were and meet at Con Azúcar Café instead. Supporting a local business felt right. The atmosphere invited longer talks. These are the kind that wander from craft to life to the odd corners of the SCA and back again.

Then my daughter got married at Café Postale, and suddenly that space carried new meaning for me. Naturally, it became another place we met. Coffee shops have a way of doing that. They layer memory on top of memory. A simple cup comes with a sense of continuity.

Seeing the pattern, I leaned into it. I suggested Godega, near the college. Something was fitting about meeting near a place of learning. Apprenticeship is, after all, a two-way exchange. I teach, yes—but I also learn.

So last Friday, we met at Coffee Society Cafe and expanded our little map outward. We liked this one because women own it. I was particularly pleased to discover gluten-free items on the menu.  That’s always a small victory for me because their corporate competitor has few.

I ordered a Blackberry Vanilla Oatmilk Latte to go with my muffin. Both were genuinely delicious.

Tanneke and I noticed they have a nice lunch selection, which would make it an easy place to linger and talk. Unfortunately, Tanneke had leave for a work meeting.

The shop has a fun, understated style.  In fact, it’s so subtle about its branding that I couldn’t find a sign with the shop’s name anywhere inside — only their bagged coffee gave it away.

What strikes me most is that none of this was planned. The “crawl” emerged naturally, just as the relationship did. Each location reflects a stage: formal beginnings, practical considerations, shared values, personal history, curiosity, and growth.

In period terms, this feels oddly familiar. Workshops, taverns, borrowed tables, neutral ground—mentorship has always happened wherever people could sit and talk. The coffee is modern. The rhythm is not.

So yes, I suppose I’m on an Omaha coffee crawl. But really, I’m watching an apprenticeship take shape—one conversation, one shared cup, one thoughtfully chosen place at a time.