Joe Almand’s life changed forever on July 26, 2022. The Skowhegan, Maine, firefighter fell 25 feet down a bank of the Kennebec River, suffering severe trauma. As he recovered from the potentially life-threatening injuries, he was told he would no longer be able to serve as a firefighter. Forced to find another career, Almand considered a long-held dream: what if he opened a coffee shop? And thus, the idea for Joe’s Flat Iron Cafe was born.