Cameron Philgreen on Business Ownership in Waco

In this conversation, I connected with Cameron Philgreen to talk about his experience starting a business in Waco, For Keeps. Here is a little bit about Cameron and For Keeps in his own words:

“It’s a place where people connect, meet, drink really good coffee, and enjoy amazing pastries. Pretty soon, we’re going to start roasting and serving our own stuff, which is really exciting. For Keeps has truly been the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for my wife and I, to own a coffee shop that serves excellent specialty coffee and provides a space for people to connect, work, meet, and feel inspired.” 🚀

“Our mission is to provide a sense of community to the people of Waco. We hope that when people walk in, they feel lighter, inspired, and that they feel the presence of God. We hope they run into someone they know every time they come in. Whether someone is working on a project or meeting with others, we want For Keeps to be a place where lots of productive and spirit-filled meetings happen. We hope people encounter beauty and belonging when they walk into For Keeps.”

“We moved to Waco to be a part of Antioch Community Church about six years ago. We had no idea what would be in store for us, but over the past six years we’ve been flipping houses, investing in real estate, and managing rental properties. That journey led us to the commercial property where For Keeps is now located. We chose the location at 37th and Bosque because it’s definitely a bit of a desert when it comes to retail, food, or coffee options. We wanted to serve the Brookview, Heart of Texas, and Mountainview neighborhoods—communities that we believe deserve great places to gather.”

“We’re renovating a commercial property on 37th and Bosque into three commercial units. One of those units will be used by For Keeps as a roasting facility, bakery, storage, and packing facility. The other two spaces are still TBD, but one of them is most likely going to be a clothing boutique—though I can’t say who it’s going to be just yet. And if you know anyone who wants to rent the remaining space, let me know!

We’re also building a new parking lot, because parking has been one of our biggest challenges at the shop.”

The Waco community has been so supportive in every way. They’ve really championed our shop.  Our amazing staff and our patrons are what make For Keeps such a wonderful place. 

We’re so thankful for the support this community has shown us. It gives us confidence and inspires us to share encouragement with others who are considering starting something. Anytime someone mentions wanting to start a business, we say, “Go for it!” Because Waco supports grassroots efforts, especially when they’re excellent and done well. Waco will show up for you, and that’s a powerful thing.

“Definitely find a niche, and figure out what people want.  One big moment for me was when I was at an art exhibit, mingling with a group of people - maybe three or four - and I asked, “What do you guys think Waco needs?” All of them said, “We need a good bagel place. We need a place with good bagels!”  I remember thinking right then, “Whenever we start this coffee shop, I really want to provide people with really good bagels.”

So—figure out what people want. Where is there a need in Waco? What would get people excited? And then, provide that thing. People will come in droves.

For us, that’s been high-quality specialty coffee, excellent presentation, a great atmosphere, and, yes, the bagels and pastries that people told us they were craving.”

“We’re looking at opening a second location on Baylor’s campus next summer! It’s still in the works, but we’re really excited about the opportunity to serve Baylor students.

We’ve also started roasting! Our first batch is soft-launching now and hitting the shelves this week. Next, we’ll begin transitioning our drip and espresso offerings to our in-house roasted coffee. After that, we’ll start selling to other shops all over the country—and hopefully, the world. We’re incredibly excited about the product we’re producing.”

▶ Instagram: @cameron_philgreen & @forkeeps_coffee

▶ Physical address: 3619 Bosque Blvd., Waco, TX