Aaron Schekorra's latest venture, Queerly Caffeinated, blends love of coffee, LGBTQ advocacy

It's been just over two months since Aaron Schekorra left his 9-to-5 job, allowing him to focus on projects that have been in the back of his mind since the pandemic lockdown.

In late August, Schekorra resigned from his position as the public health information administrator for the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, where he had served three years. Schekorra cited homophobic harassment both he and the health department experienced as the reason for his resignation.

While still at the health department, Schekorra established Own Your Pride in June 2022. The online pop-up shop offers various LGBTQ merchandise, including Pride flags, buttons, stickers and T-shirts. Schekorra's latest endeavor is another LGBTQ-focused business: Queerly Caffeinated, a white-label coffee brand that supports Springfield-based LGBTQ organizations. The brand launched online in late October.

"The thought behind it is, not everybody is going to buy a sticker or a T-shirt or a Pride flag or something like that," Schekorra said. "A lot of people ... really enjoy coffee and tea and spend more than they would if they were going to the grocery store and buying like ... the basic brand names that everybody knows that are cheap. It's a way that people can redirect those funds and purchase things from companies that also speak to their values."

Initially, at least 10% of all Queerly Caffeinated proceeds will be donated to Springfield-based LGBTQ organizations. These donations will be made quarterly. Schekorra said he hasn't chosen one specific organization to benefit but imagines he will donate to groups like the PFLAG Springfield/SWMO chapter, PROMO and The GLO Center.

"Once I've gotten past the initial upfront costs that I incurred, that number will go up," Schekorra said about the percentage he will donate from sales.

In layman's terms, a white-label product is one that is produced by one company that other companies rebrand and distribute individually. In this case, Schekorra is working with Temecula Coffee Roasters based in Temecula, California. Schekorra said he chose this roaster because it works directly with generationally-owned and co-op farms.

Specifically, Temecula partners with farms in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and India, according to its website.

Schekorra said he considered working with a local roaster but ultimately decided against it because of production scale.

"I didn't want it to be a barrier if this actually, really took off and I hit a cap because they're not working at the scale like a large roaster that's already shipping nationally," Schekorra said. "If I hit a wall where I can't really grow anymore and there's the opportunity to add more products from another company ... that would definitely be something I'd be interested in."

Another reason Schekorra chose Temecula is because all products are roasted to order. When an order is placed on the Queerly Caffeinated website, or any of the brands associated with Temecula, the beans are roasted, packed and shipped the same day — depending on what time an order is placed.

Until the brand gains more traction, all Queerly Caffeinated products will be shipped from the Temecula headquarters in California. Eventually, Schekorra said, he will have a supply in Springfield that he will ship out to customers.

As of Wednesday, Queerly Caffeinated offers 18 different blends of coffee, including Whiskey Barrel Aged, Cold Brew, Gourmet Donut Shop and Italian Roast. For those who prefer a sweeter taste, 13 different flavored coffees are available, including Pumpkin Spice, Mocha, Caramel, Mexican Chocolate and Candy Cane. Prices range between $19 for 12-ounce bags and $170 for 12-pound bags.

Queerly Caffeinated also offers sample packs, single-origin coffees and six different teas, including English Breakfast, Apple Cider Rooibos, Peach Paradise and Masala Chai. Sample packs, which include six different 2-ounce packs, are $24, single-origin coffee range between $19 for 12-ounce bags and $170 for 12-pound bags and 3-ounce tea bags are $17.

Coffee lovers can also sign up for a Queerly Caffeinated subscription, with a default option for monthly delivery. Schekorra said on Monday that a few folks have already signed up for the subscription service.

Own Your Pride takes off on TikTok Shop

One of the reasons Schekorra felt he could leave the health department in August was because of Own Your Pride's success on TikTok.

This summer, Schekorra launched Own Your Pride on TikTok Shop, allowing him to sell products through the social media app. In July and August, Own Your Pride brought in right under $50,000, Schekorra said, which is more than what his annual salary was at the health department.

More: Springfield's Date Lady finds international success in selling products through Amazon

In comparison, Schekorra said, Own Your Pride made $6,000 in May, so the jump in revenue came as a big surprise.

As of Monday, Own Your Pride's best sellers are badge buddies, acrylic charms that can be placed behind retractable badges, like those health care staff and teachers are required to wear. A video Schekorra posted to the Own Your Pride TikTok in August about badge buddies had more than 4 million views as of Wednesday.

Schekorra said creating products like the badge buddies strikes a special chord, especially when he thinks about what this expression of support from allies would have meant to him as someone who grew up in rural Texas.

"It would have meant a lot to me," Schekorra said. "It would have made me feel a lot more comfortable in the community that I grew up in. It would have made me feel a lot safer."

Looking toward the future, Schekorra said he one day hopes to return to working at a local nonprofit, while driving the direction of both Own Your Pride and Queerly Caffeninated.

"Right now, for whatever reason, I feel like I have a lot of energy and I want to get out and find other ways to contribute," he said.

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: New Queerly Caffeinated brand will support Springfield organizations