At White Duck Espresso, coffee isn’t the only thing being poured. Empowerment, support, and confidence come standard with every cup served.

Inspired by the miniature drive-thru coffee stands of the Pacific Northwest—often referred to as “sheds with two windows”—White Duck Espresso has brought that fast, friendly, flavor-forward model to the Tampa Bay area.

Robyn Matthews first dreamed up the concept 21 years ago, when she was just 18. On a first date with her now-husband Kyle in Seattle, she envisioned a business built around community and caffeine. But it wasn’t until the couple relocated to Florida that the dream began to take shape.

They were surprised to find the coffee culture in Florida lacked the personality and efficiency they were used to. Matthews wondered where the friendly, quick coffee shops with customizable, high-quality flavors were. 

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So she bought an espresso machine—at the time, the most expensive item in her small studio apartment. She’d sit outside, sip her coffee, and watch the ducks wade through the nearby pond. One stood out—a big white duck—and the name stuck.

In 2010, the couple faced an unimaginable tragedy when their son, Ezra, passed away from neuroblastoma. In his honor, they founded Beat Nb, a nonprofit dedicated to helping children fight cancer. Yet Matthews still felt called to create something more—a way to fuel both hearts and mugs.

That vision became a reality in 2020 when White Duck Espresso opened its first drive-thru in New Port Richey, a Tampa suburb. The opening coincided with the start of the COVID pandemic and a nationwide shutdown—but Matthews saw an opportunity to serve.

“[The pandemic] built our culture because all we had was each other in this community,” Matthews says. “We didn’t have to shut down because we’re drive-thru only, and coffee was considered a necessity. We stood by the idea of being there for our community during a chaotic time, and our baristas took that culture and ran with it.”

One of those baristas was Whittney Sparks, now affectionately known as “Whittney at the White Duck.” Her warmth and consistency turned her into a local favorite, and one regular even raised over $2,100 to surprise her with a tip.

Today, Sparks manages another White Duck Espresso location nearby, continuing to embody the company’s mission. Along with other stand managers, she sports a duck tattoo on her wrist—a gift from a regular customer who’s a tattoo artist.

“Our culture is light-hearted and reverent. We’re playful in tone, but serious in our intentions,” Sparks says. “We take making our customers’ drinks very seriously, and we intentionally want them to feel connected to our baristas. The interaction between baristas and regulars is everything … from the minute we take your order to when you’re driving off with your drink.”

Kali Stull, another stand manager, echoes this approach and emphasizes the emotional impact of those customer connections. These interactions set White Duck Espresso apart in a hyper-competitive market, going toe-to-toe with national chains.

“We’re there for customers on their best and worst days. We’ve seen it all and heard it all. And it means a lot to not just them, but to our whole team to offer them a hug in the form of a coffee cup,” Stull says. “Honestly, we’ve become a safe space for our community. We can’t take away everyone’s pain, but we can serve them happiness in a cup or give them a free drink. It’s the little moments that make customers become regulars.”

Creating this sense of emotional support and community starts from the top. Matthews, who leads with empathy and intention, wanted to build a culture that valued her team just as much as it valued its customers.

In an industry where many workers feel disposable, she set out to do things differently. One of her earliest goals was to empower women—83 percent of the team identifies as women, and 100 percent of management roles are held by women.

But as the company grew, Matthews noticed that outside vendors weren’t always treating her all-female leadership team with the respect they deserved. So she decided to set an example.

She launched an in-house espresso technology company and began sending her baristas to school to advance their technical skills. Now, in addition to serving lattes and cold brews at White Duck, these baristas also service equipment for other coffee businesses in the Tampa Bay area.

“Robyn has been pouring into us from day one, encouraging us to pour into our people. As a woman-led team, she’s always pushing us to get rid of limiting mindsets and shoot big, leaning into the things I tell myself I can’t do,” says Gabby Iles, another stand manager. “She taught us to set boundaries, hold your ground, and not accept the behavior of others who try to make you feel less than or insecure.”

Now, White Duck Espresso is preparing for its next chapter. With three successful locations under its belt and a loyal following across Tampa Bay, Matthews is ready to expand into new markets throughout Florida.

“We would like to go extremely fast in growth around Tampa now that we have proof of concept across a wider market,” she says. “But I’m mostly excited about growing in terms of leadership, bringing in different leaders and growing even more with them. I’m so proud of the strong women on our team, and I’m excited to build onto it.”

Beverage, Story, Women in Restaurant Leadership, White Duck Espresso