Sgt. Sargent’s SGT Coffee, Reporting for Duty
Sgt. Ryan Sargent, formerly of the Ohio Natl. Guard, poses with his daughter Zoe Sargent at their SGT Coffee Co. cart in Gahanna.
OK, I said it too many times.
But all those Sargents are necessary to describe the family-run SGT Coffee Co. cart now doing business at the Gahanna School House offices on Short Street in Creekside.
Sgt. Ryan Sargent, formerly of the Ohio National Guard, served as a Combat Engineer with a specialization in search-and-rescue, serving his term of duty at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base.
The Sgt. also has two other Sargents under his command, his adult son and daughter Joey and Zoe Sargent.
Ryan said once Zoe grew old enough to babysit her three siblings, he and his wife Brandi would take the Columbus Coffee Trail, developing a sharp pallet for fine beans. (Experience Columbus administers the Coffee Trail and other foodie fun around town each year).
It was friend and local coffee-roasting enthusiast Aaron O’Rourke who helped ignite the spark that led to SGT Coffee Co.
“My buddy has a two-pound roaster,” Ryan explained. “He was like, ‘I got a lot of beans coming; you want ‘em?’ and I said, ‘sure, we’ll figure out the pricing and everything later.’ My wife and I went over for dinner the other night, and he showed us his setup – he’s got it hooked up to a laptop and everything.”
The effort is worth it – the flavor is strong, but mellow. My wife loved the dirty chai (Barracks Brew, on the menu). The iced caramel latte (Easy42) I ordered was delicious – a rich creamy flavor that didn’t tip over into cloying sweetness.
Even Better, 10 percent of every Easy42 sold goes to the Gary Sinise Foundation. Inspired by the tragic attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and officially founded in 2011, the foundation supports veterans and first responders and their families. Sinise, himself, is an actor most famous for playing Vietnam vet and double amputee Lt. Dan in the 1994 classic Forrest Gump.
“Raising our cups to honor Sgt. Matthew Whetnall,” states SGT’s Facebook page, explaining the specialty latte’s name. “Named after his call sign, this caramel latte celebrates Matt’s bravery and service with every sip. Join us in remembering a hero.”
Find SGT Coffee Co.’s converted camper coffee station in the parking lot of the definitely-haunted Gahanna Schoolhouse Offices during the week. Ryan and crew set up shop at various farmers markets and youth sports tournaments on the weekends.
PS, It’s Got to Be Haunted…
Gahanna Schoolhouse Offices, formerly a school from 1889-1954, then a nursing home, then abandoned. That's sounds haunted to me.
I promise I’m not turning The SkilletReport into a paranormal blog – this is the second time I’ve mentioned a haunting in a month.
I don’t even really believe in that stuff, but come on – look at the place. It was a schoolhouse from 1889-1954 when it became a nursing home for 20 years. Architects renovated and reopened the building as a suite of offices in 1978.
Zoe Sargent, manning the espresso maker, immediately agreed when I suggested the place was haunted.
“There’s a little stairway up to a closed attic door in there that gives me the creeps,” she said.
A neighbor a few weeks ago heard my oldest daughter arguing it wasn’t haunted, and she said you can see candle lights bobbing up and down through the windows, and cleaning crews refuse night duty there.
Proof enough, at least, for me to add to the lore in my food blog. Please be patient with me, folks. There aren’t a lot of old buildings in Southern California.
