The Vault (Coffee Shop) facts for kids

The Vault is a special place in Valley City, North Dakota. It's a coffee shop, bakery, and bookstore all in one. What makes it unique is that it's completely self-serve. There are no employees to take your order! In 2014, The Vault became famous around the world. People were amazed by its one-of-a-kind way of doing business.

How The Vault Started

The Vault is located inside an old bank building. It took about three and a half years to fix up this building. The bank was first built way back in 1920. It was known as The Bank of Valley City. Later, it became Farmer's and Merchant Bank. Eventually, the building was left empty.

In the year 2000, Paul Stenshoel bought the building. Then, in 2009, he gave the main part of the lower floor to David Brekke. David wanted to turn it into a coffee shop. He also wanted it to be a place for the community to gather.

The Honor System Works

The Vault runs on an amazing idea called the honor system. This means there are no workers helping you. There are also no machines to scan your items. You simply pick what you want to buy. Then, you pay for it yourself. You can use a credit card, a check, or cash.

There are cameras inside The Vault. But these cameras are not there to catch people. Their main job is to help everyone feel safe. The food and drinks have prices listed. But for the books, you decide what you think they are worth. David Brekke, the owner, once said that customers are very honest. He found that people were more honest than dishonest.

News Stories About The Vault

The Vault became very famous in June 2014. A reporter named Aaron Boerner from KVRR Fargo shared its story. He focused on its special business model. On June 23, the story was shown on CNN across the country. The next morning, on June 24, TV stations all over the United States aired the story. This led to an interview with the NY Daily News.