Refuge Coffee Co. in Clarkston operates with a simple idea: “worldwide welcome.”
The shop functions as both a cafe and a paid job training program for refugees and immigrants, many of whom are navigating their first jobs in the United States. But its founders draw a clear distinction from traditional service models.
“We do this with the community, not for it,” co-founder Kitti Murray said.
That approach shapes how Refuge operates. All baristas are refugees or immigrants, and employees are paid while they train rather than placed in short-term or volunteer roles. Over 12 to 18 months, trainees learn coffee skills, customer service and workplace expectations while also receiving mentorship and support related to language, education and career planning.
Murray said the idea grew out of what she saw as a gap in Clarkston, a longtime hub for refugee resettlement. While the city has a wide range of organizations providing services, she said, there were fewer spaces where people could spend time without a defined program or expectation. She recalled a conversation with a refugee neighbor who told her there would never be a coffee shop in Clarkston designed with refugees in mind—something she said underscored how little investment people expected in the community.
“There wasn’t a place where you could just sort of be,” she said.
Refuge was designed to fill that space while also offering a path into the workforce. Murray describes the organization’s approach as “deep, not wide,” focusing on long-term relationships and a smaller number of trainees rather than high-volume programming. Over about a decade, Refuge has trained and employed dozens of baristas, prioritizing consistency and long-term development.
The model can be harder to scale, Murray said, but that is part of its purpose.
“[It’s] deeper relational connection,” said Hung Truong, Refuge’s director of development. “It’s not just about giving someone a job — it’s about helping them take a breath and think about what’s next.”
‘There’s a lot of adapting’
Truong, the son of Vietnamese refugees, said that perspective shapes how he approaches the work. Growing up, he saw how unpredictable life could be for families starting over, and he sees similar patterns among many Refuge employees.
“As a child of refugees, you don’t always know what tomorrow looks like,” he said. “There’s a lot of adapting.”
At Refuge, that often means adjusting the program to fit individual needs. In addition to on-the-job training, the organization works with outside partners to provide English-language support and industry certifications. Staff also help connect employees with resources such as legal services, transportation and education.
At the same time, Refuge operates as a business. The cafe runs alongside a catering arm and other revenue streams, and employees are expected to meet workplace standards around punctuality, communication and performance.
Early on, Murray said, the organization had to find a balance between flexibility and accountability.
“We were too lenient at first,” she said. “And what we found is that holding people to a standard actually made them more proud of their work.”
That balance is central to how Refuge defines “welcome.” Murray said the space is intentionally not tied to a specific religious or political agenda, given the experiences many refugees have had before arriving in the United States.
“The reason refugees left their country is usually religious, political or racial,” she said. “So why would we say to somebody, we have an agenda for you?”
Instead, Refuge positions itself as a place where people can participate on their own terms, whether as employees, customers or neighbors.
Pursuing a dream
That approach also shapes how the organization measures impact. Rather than focusing on large numbers, Refuge emphasizes individual outcomes and long-term relationships. Some former employees move into management roles elsewhere, while others pursue education or start their own businesses.
For Ahmed Alzoukani, who arrived in the United States in 2015 as a refugee from Syria, Clarkston was not a planned destination.
“So we just came and landed in Clarkston,” he said. “It wasn’t a plan, but because Clarkston has immigrants and refugees, it’s easy to find some of your culture or your people.”
He connected with Refuge Coffee within a few months of arriving, when the organization was still in its early stages.
Alzoukani joined the job training program, which at the time combined cafe work with weekly classes focused on English and workplace skills.
“My needs were language skills and networking,” he said. “So this job fit my needs.”
Working in the cafe exposed him to a range of people, he said, who would have been difficult to encounter in other entry-level jobs.
“You’re going to get all types of people — doctors, engineers, mechanics,” he said. “So it was an amazing place to start.”
Ahmed Alzoukani, a Syrian refugee who trained at Refuge Coffee Co. in Clarkston, cleans an espresso machine at his own café, Mint Coffeehouse, in Tucker.
JAMIE GODIN/APPEN MEDIA
That environment made it easier to improve his English and build connections that helped him navigate daily life.
“In other companies that you go work for, there is no way for you to improve your language,” he said. “There is no way for you to know more people or different types of people.”
Over time, the experience also shifted how he thought about work.
“People really don’t want money when they first arrive,” Alzoukani said. “What they need is to speak the language, know the right way, and have someone to help guide them.” He added that his time at Refuge showed him how a business could provide that support while also offering skills and opportunity.
Alzoukani now runs his own coffee business, Mint Coffeehouse in Tucker, a path he said was shaped in part by what he saw and experienced during his time at Refuge.
Stories like his reflect how Refuge defines its role — not as a final destination, but as part of a longer trajectory. Murray said Refuge’s goal isn’t to hold onto employees long term, but to be “the first step to the next step.”
That idea extends beyond individual employees. In recent years, Refuge has also hosted markets and events designed to support small businesses, many of them run by refugees and immigrants.
“We’re no longer just a job training program,” Truong said. “We’re becoming an epicenter for small business owners to pursue a dream.”
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