Many people know the little coffee shop on Fourth Street as a place to get a bite to eat and possibly some homework done. Positive and empowering music echo from the speakers, and the whole atmosphere is simplistic. Anything from hot coffee to blueberry muffins can be found on the wide variety of menu selections, and the prices are reasonable for the large portions that are served. It sounds like a typical small business, but there is more behind the story.

Coming from a vision by the pastor at the Bridge Church, the coffee shop idea was born. After that everything fell into place. “We even got a deal on the rent agreement, everything just flowed,” says employee Krista. “Lots of people volunteered and we did tons of fundraising to get started.” Even the name seemed to come together smoothly. “We based the name off of the location on Fourth Street, but also as a representation of the Bible verse from Acts 4:12”

Not only was the goal to provide Hamburg with a coffee shop, but as a basis to grow. “One of our goals was to get Hamburg growing and expanding with more small businesses,” says Krista. The workers also explained how they wanted Hamburg to flourish spiritually and economically. “We want people to feel as though this is a safe space for Christian outreach.”

Many HAHS students can be found working on assignments or just chatting with friends. “They make you feel welcome, and it’s a great place to do homework.” says 9th grade student Madeline Kouffman. “The workers are always so nice.” adds freshman Amanda Smith. Whether it’s for the food, the atmosphere, or both, Four Twelve offers a pleasant environment that is always open for everyone.