Vagabond Coffee Bar
If you’re cruising the streets of Fort Worth, Arlington, or Grand Prairie, you might spot something that feels like it rolled straight out of a Wes Anderson film: a sleek, restored 1979 Peugeot J7 that doubles as a coffee oasis. The Vagabond Coffee Bar isn’t just a mobile coffee shop—it’s a dream realized, brewed with love, determination, and a touch of naivete.
Owner and risk-taker John-Wesley Gericke recalls the spark that started it all. In the depths of COVID, with long hours and separate schedules keeping him and his wife Alyx, a self-employed hairstylist, apart, an idea struck: “What if we built something we could do together?”
Inspiration hit while watching a coffee trailer cruise by. A casual thought turned into a year-and-a-half journey spanning continents and countless late nights.
The Vagabond story starts in France, where the couple discovered the iconic van via a Facebook add. It was shipped to the Netherlands for a meticulous restoration—roof raised, engine overhauled—before making its way stateside to Atlanta, where the interior was transformed. Every design detail, from the paint to the equipment layout, was lovingly crafted by Gericke’s wife. What was once a "Scooby-Doo blue" shell has become a gray icon of coffee craftsmanship.
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Vagabond/Stephen Montoya
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Vagabond/Stephen Montoya
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Vagabond/Stephen Montoya
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Vagabond/Stephen Montoya
Since their soft opening in August 2022—fittingly held at a baby shower—the journey has been about more than caffeine. For the Vagabond Coffee Bar, it’s about connection: bringing families, friends, and communities together over the perfect cup. With their mobile setup, they serve everything from velvety vanilla lattes to creative seasonal offerings. And while they stay true to the classics, their menu is an ever-evolving experiment, led by the couple’s instinct for taste over trends.
Some of the coffee options on this roving coffee bar's menu inlcudes craft coffee drinks, including espressos, lattes, mochas, cold brews, hot teas, and chai, along with Italian sodas ,and mocktails for special events upon request.
“I like to say we didn’t choose the coffee life; the coffee life chose us,” says Gericke. The Vagabond Coffee Bar's mission is simple yet profound: deliver high-quality coffee in a one-of-a-kind setting while creating moments of joy along the way. And they’ve been doing just that, one event, one latte, one happy customer at a time.
For Gericke, leaving a full-time corporate job to chase a passion felt like a gamble. But as he puts it, “Confucius said a man has two lives, and the second begins when he realizes he only has one.”
Now, with Vagabond, John and his family have embarked on their second life—one fueled by coffee, community, and a love for the road. Look for the Vagabond van, where vintage charm meets artisanal coffee. Or better yet, let them come to you and experience a cup crafted with care and purpose.
“The first thing clients see is the van and they love it,” he says. “I have a lot of pressure on me after that to provide great coffee, which is what keeps everyone coming back for more.”
