Kalamazoo has a new "emergency vehicle" that people are happy to see coming. In August, the Kalamazoo City Council unanimously adopted a food truck ordinance allowing the mobile vendors to operate on public streets. Coffee Rescue is one of three trucks so far to rev up their engines locally, in addition to the Organic Gypsy and local street food veteran Gorilla Gourmet, which opened in 2010.

Kalamazoo has a new "emergency vehicle" that people are happy to see coming.

Coffee Rescue, which launched in September, operates out of a converted ambulance, with coffee cups pouring java on the doors where a caduceus usually would be. The rolling coffee shop inspires double takes every time it hits the road, owners said.

In August, the Kalamazoo City Council unanimously adopted a food truck ordinance allowing the mobile vendors to operate on public streets. Coffee Rescue is one of three trucks so far to rev up their engines locally, in addition to the Organic Gypsy and local street food veteran Gorilla Gourmet, which opened in 2010.

"I hope food trucks catch on in Kalamazoo," said owner Jay Woodhams. "I think there's room for everybody."

Woodhams said he got the idea for Coffee Rescue after a stint working in Washington, D.C. After returning to Kalamazoo, he said, his parents were looking for a retirement project and a coffee delivery truck seemed like an idea that might be embraced locally.

"In bigger cities, it's just part of the culture," said Woodhams. "Everything is delivery trucks: You go to work, and the coffee guy shows up and the doughnut guy and the lunch guy."

Woodham's dad, Bill Brock, and sister, Jamie Brock, are the drivers.

"It's a family business. We're all in it together," said Jamie Brock, interviewed outside the Portage Public Library.

Right now, Coffee Rescue serves coffee, hot chocolate and hot cider, along with some pre-packaged muffins, cinnamon rolls and snacks like chips, trail mix and cookies. Coffee is most popular in the morning, and cider and hot chocolate in the afternoon, said Jamie Brock.

The beans are roasted locally, ground fresh daily and the truck comes equipped with a reverse osmosis system to filter the water.

"It makes a really smooth cup of coffee," said Bill Brock.

An inverter and two batteries means that the truck can brew fresh pots and heat water while the Brocks drive from stop to stop, so that patrons are ensured a fresh, hot cup. To cut down on wait times, patrons can email orders to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or post them to Coffee Rescue's Facebook Page. The Brocks will run orders in to a business for those who can't get away to pick up their own beverage of choice.

"I've been a coffee drinker my whole life," said Bill Brock, who retired from a career in manufacturing and said he spent a lot of time in drive-thrus waiting for his next cup of Joe. "Why can't we bring it to them? If they're tied to their desks, it provides a service."

Bill Brock also thinks the truck may prove increasingly popular during the winter, when the cold and snow make people less likely to venture out.

While the converted ambulance definitely attracts attention – Jamie and Bill Brock said they've been mistaken for a real emergency vehicle -- Woodhams and the Brocks hope their product will keep people coming back.

Right now, Coffee Rescue tours Portage on Mondays and Thursdays and Kalamazoo on Tuesdays and Fridays. It also is available for special events, such as a Rota Kiwan event last Thursday, or weekend sporting events that don't already have a concession stand, Woodhams said.

"It's a novel idea," said Woodhams. "No one's done it here before. People don't know what to make of it yet."

Right now, there are no espresso drinks or iced coffee beverages. Woodhams said Coffee Rescue will do an evaluation in May to see if there's sufficient demand to add more specialty beverages. Coffee Rescue does offer a 16-ounce French press for $3, as well as flavored syrups such as vanilla nut, hazelnut, caramel, and raspberry.

As for hours, Jamie Brock said: "Hours are whenever you want a cup of coffee. Right now, we eat, sleep and breathe the coffee truck."

So far, she said, their latest delivery has been about 9 p.m., although she and Woodhams added that they're still trying to figure out the best way to reach the college-age crowd.

Paramount Charter Academy on Westnedge Ave. is one of the regular stops on Coffee Rescue's route.

"Their prices are good and they take credit cards," said office administrator Genevieve Wrobleski, who tried Coffee Rescue's hot caramel apple cider for the first time. "It was so good."

Her mom, she said, is an even bigger fan.

"My mom said it was the best coffee she ever had at the time she needed it," said Wrobleski.

As for Coffee Rescue's attention-getting wheels, Woodhams said that wasn't intentional: The ambulance happened to be for sale and was already built out.

"I was nervous about marrying the business to the novelty of the vehicle. I'm sort of obligated to function out of emergency vehicles," he said.

But he said he's committed now: "The next truck will be an ambulance."

Yvonne Zipp is a business reporter for the Kalamazoo Gazette. You can reach her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 269-365-8639.

Original Article: BY Yvonne Zipp: October 9, 2012 | MLIve