On the north of Amarillo, Texas, where places to gather are limited and everyday services can be harder to find, Jennifer Drone opened more than a business. She opened a meeting place, a workplace, and — she hopes — a turning point.

Stop N Shop Convenience & Café held its grand opening on Feb. 28, combining a neighborhood convenience store with a coffee shop and community space. For Drone, the idea began not as a business plan, but as a necessity.

“I got sick and I needed a job — that’s what started it,” she said. “I was having a hard time raising money for my nonprofit, so I thought if I opened a store I could support myself and add a coffee shop. Part of those sales could help fund the rehab work for my nonprofit.”

Drone also operates Homeless At-Risk Teens (H.A.R.T.) in downtown Amarillo, a nonprofit focused on providing a safe space and support for vulnerable youth. The store is intended to support both her livelihood and the organization’s mission.

“I thought I could use the building to do double duty and give something back to the community,” she said. “There aren’t many places to meet on the north side, so I wanted to create a coffee shop and gathering space that could serve multiple purposes.”

While the store itself is for-profit, its purpose stretches beyond retail. Drone plans to offer free Wi-Fi, meeting space and resources for local youth, including hygiene packs distributed from a back room. Eventually, she hopes the business will become part of H.A.R.T.’s workforce training program.

The store will sell coffee, fruit, snacks and everyday essentials, with prices set intentionally for the surrounding neighborhood.

Starting the business, however, was far from simple. The building required extensive renovation, including major plumbing repairs.

“The building is so old,” Drone said. “I had to redo all the plumbing — it was horrible.”

Construction wasn’t the hardest obstacle. Earning trust proved more difficult.

Homeless at 12, Drone spent her teenage years moving between the streets and juvenile detention, making decisions driven by survival rather than a future. Without finishing high school and carrying a record into adulthood, she believed a stable life wasn’t possible.

That began to change when a church program connected her with local pastor Lyndal Waldrip, who encouraged her to see herself differently. Drone earned her GED, found work and, remembering how few safe places she had as a teen, set out to create one for others through H.A.R.T.

“The biggest challenge was getting people to believe in my vision because of who I used to be,” she said. “I’m trying to do something positive and give back to the community I took from. Getting people to believe that was the hardest part.”

That perception has begun to change.

“Now people see I’m serious,” she added. “They see me there every day and they’re asking how they can help. People are donating clothes and hygiene items for the youth. I might even need a bigger space eventually.”

Financial support from the Lending Team at Communities Unlimited (CU) helped make the opening possible. Drone worked with CU Economic Development Loan Officer Candence Brooks on a loan that closed Nov. 13, 2025.

Loan funds were used to repair plumbing, build the coffee bar and purchase starting inventory.

William Thrasher, a Community Facilitator at CU, has also been instrumental in Drone’s journey. After learning she needed additional financing, he referred her to the Lending Team.

Thrasher worked with Drone to develop H.A.R.T.’s plan, connected her to local leaders and funding opportunities, supported building renovations and accompanied her to community events and presentations. He also serves on the organization’s board.

“William’s been my driving force when I feel like giving up,” she said. “I go to him and bounce ideas and thoughts. If I need training, he finds it and points me in the right direction.”

Beyond financing, Drone said Brooks’ guidance proved just as important.

“Candence understood my vision,” Drone said. “She went through my business plan with me, asked questions and reviewed numbers — she helped make sure this dream could actually happen. It’s not just the money. They’ve taught me how to track budgets and profit-and-loss sheets. I would never have done that before. I’m very thankful.”

Drone’s long-term vision extends beyond a small café.

“Eventually I want it to become a grocery store,” she said. “I grew up there and we used to have one. It served the community. I want a bigger version of that — and I want to change lives, especially through a youth workforce program once it’s fully running.”

For Drone, the store represents something larger than commerce.

As customers begin walking through the doors, Drone sees Stop N Shop as both a business and a promise — a place where coffee is served, but so is opportunity.