Honeybee Coffee’s newest location now open in West Town Mall
Honeybee Coffee Co. opened its fourth coffeeshop inside Knoxville’s West Town Mall.
Honeybee Coffee’s original owners have regained ownership of the company, according to a social media post that thanked the community for support as it rebuilds from selling to a self-proclaimed entrepreneur who staff say ran the business into the ground.
“We want to start by expressing our heartfelt gratitude for the kind messages and support we have received during this challenging time,” Honeybee said in an Instagram post the evening of July 23. “We are pleased to announce that we have regained ownership of Honeybee Coffee Company. As we take steps to rebuild and restructure, we are committed to making the best decisions for our beloved business and community.”
Norris Hill, the former owner, was not immediately available for comment. As owner, Hill was responsible for turning Honeybee into a chain of fan-favorite coffee shops before selling 80% of the company to business coach Aaron Hensley.
Hill was working with interested potential buyers to help him reopen Honeybee’s four locations − three in Knoxville and one in Sevierville, which are all closed.
“We’re trying to move quickly,” Hill’s attorney, Kyle Baisley, told Knox News on July 17.
In a separate post, Honeybee tried to clear up confusion about a promotion Hensley offered in the turbulent weeks before he abruptly abandoned the company. Through a series of promotional emails, texts and posts, Hensley sold $200 gift cards for only $100.
On June 24, Hensley announced two of the three Knoxville stores would temporarily close, leaving purchasers with few options to spend the gift cards. Nearly a month later, with all the stores closed, Honeybee directed customers who bought gift cards to email their order to wholesale@honeybeecoffeeco.com.
“We are working on a better solution for the long term, but we wanted to have a way for you all to use the gift cards in the meantime,” an Instagram post said.
In comments on the post announcing the regained ownership, fans celebrated the news, while some asked the store to return to its simple coffeeshop roots once it reopens. Honeybee added a brewery to its operation in 2021.
Steve Dedman, husband of Knox News visuals editor Jennifer Dedman, served as head brewer at Honeybee, though the two are no longer involved with the company. Under the USA TODAY Network Principles of Ethical Conduct for Newsrooms followed by Knox News, Dedman was excluded from editorial involvement in our reporting.
Business coach left Honeybee after mass staff exodus
Hensley, who owns a local business coaching company called Rise USA, took control of Honeybee in February after signing a letter of intent with Hill to take responsibility for the company’s growing debts, Hill said. Before the two made a deal, Hensley had offered to buy other Knoxville companies.
The owners of those companies say they are now glad they did not take the offer.
After Hensley sent out a barrage of strange messages and posts in June unveiling a new “Honeybee USA” that would deliver unparalleled customer service while transforming into a franchise, former staff took to online forums to say they had quit in response to his behavior.
Several former staff members told Knox News that nearly the entire staff walked out, forcing the initial closure of two Honeybee stores in Knoxville. Hensley has not responded to requests for comment since June 25, the day he told Hill he was leaving the company he bought.
Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.
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