Kick Butt Coffee was conceived by Thomas R. Gohring in the wee morning hours of April, 25th, 2007. The day before, while making a deposit at Bank of America, he made a comment to the teller that it was peculiarly slow at the bank. There were no other customers. He gestured that there is usually a long line of...and he made some motions like a zombie when the other teller says, "yeah, there are no coffee shops around here, I wish there were a Starbucks or something close by." The seed was planted.
The fact that there are no coffee shops in the Airport Blvd. corridor, in combination with having a friend, Mary Grabhorn, who worked part time at another local coffee shop contributed to the idea taking root.
It has now evolved into community centers where artists, business people and students, from a variety of backgrounds, come together for good coffee and friendly service in positive environment 
where they can get feedback on their craft.
What makes it really Kick Butt? Adding a special menu of beer, wine and coffee drinks with liquor (now a full bar). The idea of comedy came from him traveling in New York City and how the comedy clubs tend to be small venues with many comics in contrast to having a headliner, feature and opener. And, of course, how can you have a Kick Butt Coffee shop in Austin, Texas without some Kick Butt Music, Dance and Poetry events!