Member Story: William Axtell of Adirondack Mountain Coffee

Something's Brewing

William Axtell, the owner of Adirondack Mountain Coffee in Jay, had grown the business slowly and surely since taking over the family business nine years ago.

He started with a roasting operation. Then, he opened a café, serving breakfast and lunch.

And then COVID-19 hit, throwing his business, and the world, into limbo.

That’s when he turned to Adirondack Regional Federal Credit Union. And things got back on track.

“Adirondack Regional helped me go through and do the PPP loans,” Axtell says, referring to the Paycheck Protection Program—forgivable federal loans that small businesses could access during the pandemic in order to pay staff. “And then I was looking to obtain a line of operating credit, and the credit union was able to work with me on that. And that's when I moved all my business over.”

That was a big move for Axtell, who had spent almost 30 years with his previous bank. But he found that Adirondack Regional FCU is built to work side-by-side with small business owners. “My business is my job,” he says. “At my previous institution, they wanted paychecks and pay stubs, which I don’t have readily available. That’s not how the operation works. So it was difficult for me to obtain funding for anything.”

Adirondack Regional FCU specializes in a host of small business loans, from commercial real estate loans to add another location, equipment loans to replace aging tools or add new ones, lines of credit that can help you make payroll, cover immediate expenses or expand into a new line of business.

Axtell is using his credit line to pursue a liquor license for his café. So he can serve up mimosas and Bloody Marys alongside his freshly roasted coffee.

Even though Jay is a small town, Axtell is confident in his growth plans. His philosophy is simple: If you have a good product, people will travel for it. “We see people from all over the place,” he says. “Lake Placid, Elizabethtown, Saranac Lake, even Plattsburgh.”

And a big part of having a good product: consistent, friendly, welcoming customer service. Axtell says his team of 14 do a great job in creating an atmosphere that makes customers want to come back, and make Adirondack Mountain Coffee part of their daily routine.

He sees that same commitment to customer service from Adirondack Regional FCU.

“From the first day that I walked in, I was greeted as someone that they've known forever. They were willing to help and ready to go, pointed me in the right direction and laid out all the paperwork so nothing is left to guesswork,” he says.

Adirondack Mountain Coffee is located at 8 Artos Way, Upper Jay. It’s open from 7 a.m–2 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday.