The First Two Months of Pit Stop Cafe
Pit Stop Cafe officially opened on Monday, November 17, 2025. As of this week, we’ve passed the two-month mark of what began as a simple idea and quickly turned into an exciting micro-café experiment here in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Pit Stop Café co-owners Michael Ryan Zuniga and Jeff Hull standing with barista Grace Converse inside the Fairbanks Chevrolet GMC dealership café in Fairbanks, Alaska.
The story started in the fall of 2025, when the Fairbanks Chevrolet GMC dealership approached my business partner, Jeff Hull, about opening a café inside the dealership. Jeff invited me, Mike Zuniga, to join him as a partner. After many conversations and a lot of shared excitement, we reached an agreement that felt right—and got to work immediately.
And by “work,” we mean everything. Before serving a single cup of coffee, there was a long checklist to complete: forming an LLC, securing a business license, completing ServSafe Manager Certification, passing inspection with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, establishing our brand, building systems, hiring a barista, and more. Starting a café, even a small one, involves a surprising number of moving parts.
By November 17, everything was in place, and Pit Stop Cafe opened its doors.
The past two months have been a joyful ride. One of the most rewarding parts for me has been relationship-building. The dealership is home to 68 employees, which means 68 familiar faces to greet, learn names, and serve daily. Being part of their routine has been a privilege.
Grace Is On It
Barista Grace Converse serving a Lotus energy drink to a customer at Pit Stop Café inside the Fairbanks Chevrolet GMC dealership in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Our barista, Grace, has been a huge part of that experience. Jeff and I have known her for years through our church community, and she has been an absolute blessing—to us and to the dealership. She delivers great coffee with a snarky smile, and customers love her for it.
Behind the scenes, Jeff and I have been learning fast. Payroll, insurance, equipment maintenance, and daily operations have all been part of the education. On my end, I’ve leaned into my marketing background—building our website, setting up our Google Business Profile, and launching Pit Stop Cafe on DoorDash and Uber Eats to reach customers beyond the dealership.
This first post is simply meant to explain how we started. Any business owner will tell you there’s always more to the story than can fit in one update, and we’re looking forward to sharing more in the posts ahead.
At Pit Stop Cafe, we serve coffee, energy drinks, and food quickly—but what matters most to us is making someone’s day better with each interaction.
Cheers to adventure.