Hidden Gems: Meet Buck Heath of Dirty Duck Coffee Company

Today we’d like to introduce you to Buck Heath.

Hi Buck, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My high school classmate Jay Peterson, who is now co-owner of Dirty Duck Coffee Company, took me duck hunting for the first time, and after that, I was hooked. I fell in love with the camaraderie and the timeless tradition that generations of hunters have experienced. While attending Missouri Western and playing football there, I began figuring out how and where to chase these birds. My journey lead me to Mound City, Missouri, a small farm town in the Missouri River bottoms. This area is a migration stopping point for million of waterfowl each year. Many lifelong friends were made throughout years hunting in Mound City, I lfell in love with the small-town atmosphere, which led me to purchase a downtown main building now known as the Dirty Duck. This two-story brick building was built in 1887 and is one of the oldest buildings still standing today. The second floor is my living quarters, but the main floor features an antique bar, a shuffleboard table, big Buck Hunter arcade, and lots of character in the decor. We have bands play a couple of times a year, and many town folk and hunters come to enjoy and unwind. The Dirty Duck brand started with just making a couple of hats for guests and friends that came to visit, but during the spring of 2020, I had way too much time on my hands and somehow decided that adding coffee to the lineup would help us hit a niche of duck hunters. That’s when the Dirty Duck went from just something I was having fun with the a serious brand. See coffee is a staple of the duck hunting diet. It’s cold; it’s earlier and more than likely, they’ve stayed up too late with their buddies. Coffee is a must-have for a Duck Hunter. Jay Peterson and I stayed friends all these years and made it a point to hunt at least once every year. Now we get to work together on something we are passionate about.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
We have experienced slow and steady growth but are seeing significant increases from year to year. It’s been challenging to meet the demand during some Covid-related shortages and price hikes. Every milestone of growth becomes a new challenge and hurdle to surpass. Jay and I have been doing well keeping up as the goal post continues to be pushed month by month.

We’ve been impressed with Dirty Duck Coffee Company, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share about what you do and what sets you apart?
Dirty Duck Coffee offers 10 roasts of premium small-batch one-source beans. We offer something for every coffee drinker, from light to dark. Our Cinnamon Teal Snickerdoodle roast and Missouri Boat Ride, a pecan praline with a hint of coconut are a couple Rolf our most popular flavored blends. The Dirty Duck quality is very high and you can taste the difference from your first cup. Find us at Dirtyduckcoffee.com.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Jay and I are both huge Royals and Chiefs fans. We love that atmosphere in KC as well as the bbq. The weather in the spring and fall is amazing, also! There’s just so much to do in Kansas City. There’s not a better sports town in America!

Pricing:

• Full Limit 6 pack of Coffee- $84.99
• 12oz Single Bag -$17.99
• Dirty Duck Hats- $29

Contact Info:

• Website: Dirtyduckcoffee.com
• Instagram: dirtyduckcoffee
• Facebook: Dirty Duck Coffee Company

Image Credits
Buck Heath (owns all images)