It sat empty on Pipeline Road.
A donut shop built in 1969, closed, with a for lease sign still in the window. What the City of Hurst and HEB ISD did with the building is easier to watch than to explain.
Press play. The people who did the work tell it better than we can.
How it happened.
A shop that is also a classroom
The Coffee Shop Project is a collaborative initiative between the City of Hurst and the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District designed to revitalize an older commercial corridor while providing hands-on workforce training for local students and young adults. Located at 420 W. Pipeline Road, the city-owned shop serves high-quality beverages and baked goods while operating as a real-world learning environment for students in the Gene A. Buinger Career and Technical Education Academy Culinary Program and the MARC Transition program, which provides workforce preparation for special education students.
It started with a survey
The idea originated from a resident survey showing strong interest in a sit-down coffee shop in the historic Pipeline Road area. In response, the City transformed a deteriorating former donut shop built in 1969 into a welcoming and functional community asset. Local businesses, volunteers, and nonprofit partners contributed materials, time, and expertise, creating a sense of shared ownership and community pride in the project.
What it gives back
Students gain valuable workplace experience, residents enjoy a new gathering place that supports neighborhood connection, and the business community benefits from a pipeline of job-ready talent. The Coffee Shop now serves as a model of adaptive reuse, inclusive workforce development, and community-driven revitalization, reflecting Hurst’s long-standing commitment to connection, collaboration, and educational opportunity.
The work of that culinary program is on the menu. Come taste it.
Vacant, gutted, rebuilt, open.
Seven photos from the build, in order. Move through them at your own pace.
Come see it for yourself.
The building is open, the students are behind the counter, and the coffee is ready. Stop in at 420 W. Pipeline Road.