Cool Beans gives way to Mercies Coffee and a woman with a mission

After 20 years, Cool Beans Coffee, located next to East Towne Mall, closed its doors last month. Mallory Orr, who worked at the cafe for a short time, is starting Mercies Coffee in the 2,600-square-foot facility.

According to Orr, the name is derived from a Bible text. “It talks about God’s mercy being new every morning,” says the author.

Mercies, 1748 Eagan Road, will not be a Christian coffee shop, but it will be “centred on the gospel message,” according to Orr.

She plans to use the cafe to raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking.

Orr, who grew up in Washington state and attends High Point Church on Madison’s Far West Side, said, “I’ve been enthusiastic about fighting trafficking since I was a sophomore in high school.”

She stated she wanted to combine her advocacy on the subject of human trafficking with her love of coffee shops to “create a location where people can know that what they’re eating has a reason behind it.”

Mallory Orr, the owner of Cool Beans, signed a lease on the space on Friday.

Orr, 30, said her objective is to represent Wisconsin-based anti-trafficking organisations. She mentions three faith-based organisations: Zeteo Community Homes and Every Daughter in the Milwaukee area, as well as Damascus Road in Oshkosh.

The goal of Zeteo Community Homes, according to its website, is to give support to women who have been sexually exploited, including shelter.

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