Meet Maddy: From Drifter Coffee

Maddy is one of those people you meet and never forget, she's warm, friendly and generous. She's also a huge advocate to the outcasts which we think is so important! We asked Maddy a few questions to get to know her a bit better...

So, let’s dive straight in shall we? Tell us a brief overview of who YOU are!

I’ve never fit in, I was always the outsider, floating between groups and not following what was considered ‘cool’ within the stages of my youth. I was a massive nerd (still am). I love people though, I love stories and I love telling them. I have a couple close mates, plus, the people I work with our my friends, too busy otherwise! The ocean and anything outdoors is where I want to spend anytime outside of work. I love scuba and surfing and just walking somewhere new. The feeling of being pulled outside of whatever is going on, what the day needs from me or what I need to do and just to focus on what’s in front of you, being it the next wave or how incredible it is to be here in NZ.

I love a challenge, change and continuing to learn, hate stagnation and feeling stuck. I kind of love when things break or need to be fixed, any chance to be Macgyver, hell yeah. I give a lot of myself to others, more than I should, I’ve never belonged, so offering a sense of openness and welcoming has made me feel more connected to others or those I meet. Making people happy gives me a lot of purpose in my life. I have an incredible relationship with my partner, Eric, we met on tinder 6 years ago in Detroit, Michigan. He’s way cooler than me (he doesn’t agree). Don’t know how I managed to land him, he’s taught me to be more patient, mindful and has been my rock throughout all the good and bad times of my life recently. Love him heaps.

You make a huge impact in your community, where did your passion for plants/coffee come from?

Honestly, when starting my truck, I thought what was the easiest food truck to start/run…and I thought coffee.Shortly after setting it all up and getting all my ducks in a row, I read a book about coffee history. It totally opened my eyes. Coffee is all about connection, in the days of French Revolution in the first coffee houses, coffee brought together a community of like minded people, thinking of great possibilities! People weren’t drinking beer and getting drunk into the night, they were drinking coffee! And storming up these giant ideas that changed the way we see the world now. So my passion stems from all that, creating a community of like minded people, a place that you feel welcomed and a part of something good.

I also wanted to create a neutral space, one that I wanted to belong to. Without any hesitation or judgments. Just be you and that you is enough, cause it’s tough out there and sometimes, you need someone to cut you a break. The plants also offer a little serenity to all the chaos that comes with running a bustling space. It breaks apart the traditional walls that seperate people, it’s a good topic to talk about too and a good atmosphere to be surrounded by- growing and ever changing as time goes by. I’ve set my shop up in a way that you can’t sit down without talking to someone random or someone you’ve seen there before…there’s plenty to talk about and plenty of people to talk to. No one will judge you otherwise, you’re all there to drink coffee!

If you could have dinner with 3 people dead or alive on who would they be and why?

My great, great, great grandmother. She was a Māori woman, married to a pakeha (the first of her line to do so) and I would love to hear about her past and what she thought about the future heading into the next phase of history. Seth Rogen, he’s a fascinating, smart, good dude, would love to eat some delish food after smoking a jay with him.

The OG drifter lady, Alleah. She started her business 5 years before I did, I met her in the back of an Icecream shop in Ferndale, Michigan. I was working there over the summer and we just got along. Worked for her shortly after. After I found my caravan on trademe, she offered me the opportunity to be her sister truck in NZ. We used to catch up and share stories a bunch, but now, with us both being so dang busy…we haven’t been able to catch up in years. Would be great to catch up with her, she’s a rad chick!

What’s your favourite thing you own and why?

My blankie, it was knitted by an old family friend before I was born and I’ve had it with me forever. It’s soft and kept under my pillow, it’s always been a comfort and with all the stuff I have to think about, cups, events, staff…it helps me get to sleep a little easier.

Top song/artist at the moment?

The shambles or whatever is on my discover weekly.

Where do you see Drifter in the next 5 years?

I have just purchased a brand new coffee machine this week, biggest purchase the business has ever made. So, I want to keep growing! The shops lease is good for another year in august, there are a lot of changes coming my way. I feel like after 6 years of hustling, we are over the proverbial hill and can start saving and thinking about bigger projects. We’ve just started to delve into markets and want to host more, growing this epic community of like minded people. I want to continue to provide a safe haven for the outcasts, the people having a bad day or people who just like my coffee and vibes! Somewhere that I’d feel comfy and part of! Something to belong to. We have a massive summer next year already in the works and I hope to make more of a name for myself…maybe expanding into a bigger space that can house our ever growing collection of plants and people.

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