Not Your Average Joe Closes Two Oklahoma Shops
The nonprofit coffee chain shuttered its Broken Arrow and Choctaw locations, citing unexpected state funding cuts.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Not Your Average Joe closed its Broken Arrow location at 800 Mission St. and its Choctaw location at 2183 Harper St., with the closures announced on social media on Monday, Nov. 2. The nonprofit cited unexpected state funding cuts for the decision.
Why it matters
The closures reduce the number of Not Your Average Joe coffee shops available to Oklahoma residents and come as the organization faces a federal lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Labor. The organization's founder had said in October that costs needed to be combined following changes at ABE's.
Not Your Average Joe closed two Oklahoma locations, two weeks after announcing a relocation of ABE's to downtown OKC. The Department of Labor seeks unpaid tips and wages plus an equal amount in liquidated damages, covering activity dating to September 2023.
The players
Not Your Average Joe
A nonprofit coffee shop chain operating locations across Oklahoma.
Tim Herbel
The founder of Not Your Average Joe, who is named as a defendant in the federal lawsuit.
U.S. Department of Labor
The federal agency that filed the lawsuit against the organization and its founder.
The details
The closures were announced on social media and cite unexpected state funding cuts. The nonprofit and founder Tim Herbel are named defendants in a federal lawsuit alleging minimum wage and tip violations, a faulty tip distribution system, underage employees using prohibited equipment, and unpaid overtime.
Timeline
September 2023: Activity covered by the federal lawsuit begins.
October 2026: Herbel said the organization needed to combine costs following changes at ABE's.
Nov. 2, 2026: Closures of the Broken Arrow and Choctaw locations are announced.
Market Landscape
The closures come as a federal lawsuit tests whether Not Your Average Joe complied with Fair Labor Standards Act wage, overtime and tip rules. The case places the nonprofit's cost-cutting under scrutiny of federal labor enforcement.
Customers of the Broken Arrow and Choctaw locations will need to visit other Not Your Average Joe shops or alternative coffee providers. Employees at those sites are affected by the closures announced Nov. 2.
The takeaway
Customers who relied on the two closed locations should check remaining Not Your Average Joe shops or nearby coffee options. The federal lawsuit's outcome may affect the organization's future operations.
Further reading
Browse more Openings & Closings news from across Oklahoma.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Oklahoman.
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