Joshua Huh: “Making Friendships Through Entrepreneurship”

Joshua Huh was born in Tacoma and moved to Walla Walla in 2014 to attend Walla Walla University, graduating in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Spanish. Huh started Carte Coffee in 2017 with another friend, moved downtown in a trailer in late 2019/early 2020, and opened the cafe in October 2022

How do you participate in the Walla Walla Community?

As an owner of a small business, I participate in the community by creating an atmosphere that encourages interpersonal friendships across different social groups in our small town. Carte Coffee has allowed me to connect with individuals from many different backgrounds, including people who grew up here, people who moved here for school and never left, and people who have moved here for work. When new people visit Walla Walla, Carte Coffee is often the first place that they visit; I’ve found myself being a sort of "ambassador" for the Valley, giving recommendations for food and wine and sharing about my wholesome and special experience here with others.

How does what you do fit into larger issues in or aspects of our region?

My position not only allows me to connect with different people but also requires it. Having met so many different people during the past five years downtown, I have found that it is ultimately my responsibility to foster a social environment that facilitates conversation and cooperation between these different people. The interconnectedness of businesses here in the Valley is vital for the region’s growth: I see coffee shops making connections with restaurants; restaurants wholesaling from breweries; breweries sponsoring bicycle races; and entrants in bicycle races coming into those coffee shops on race day—every business plays a crucial part in the way our small town operates holistically. 

What is something you’ve learned about this area that surprised you or that you weren’t expecting?

One thing that surprised me when first starting this business was the number of young people who live here in this community. Having come from a pretty insular community of my own at Walla Walla University in College Place, it wasn’t until I moved my business to downtown Walla Walla in late 2019 that I found so many post-collegiate twenty-somethings who live here in, those either having stayed here after graduating from one of our three colleges, or people who moved here for the wine or restaurant industries. The willingness of more-established members of the community to support these young people is inspiring and I hope to become such a person for young people like myself when I grow older.

In what ways is Walla Walla diverse?

Walla Walla is diverse in some very special, unique ways. I can think of no other small, rural town in America that so intricately balances its rich, agricultural history with new minds and perspectives. Having three colleges in the area brings lots of people to the area who would have otherwise never lived in Eastern Washington, and I like seeing both old and young minds alike growing together to further Walla Walla's goals while preserving its rich history. It warms my heart to see students from Whitman College, Walla Walla University and Walla Walla Community College sitting alongside each other at Carte Coffee and interacting with one another-—even small instances like these create greater diversity of thought and culture within our community.

What do you think this region will be like in five or 10 years?

In 10 years, I hope that Walla Walla continues to become a slow melting pot of cultures. Having lived here for 10 years already I have already seen so much growth of the wine and tourism industry and seeing how it has brought “otherwise-non-rural” individuals and families into our small town makes me very excited for the future of Walla Walla. I have found that Walla Walla has lots of pride in its rich history and unique culture, and it feels good to see new people move here and be welcomed into becoming part of such a unique place, bringing new perspectives of thought while understanding that Walla Walla takes pride in preserving its culture.

If you could be involved in an aspect of Walla Walla life that you are not currently involved with, what would it be? Why?

I would like to become more involved in local music scenes. There are a lot of young musicians here who don’t yet have many platforms to share their music, especially considering that most musical venues here in town are bars and wineries, and it is a dream of mine to become more involved in making local music for young people more sustainable and accessible. I am thankful to see DIY spaces such as The Grove on East Isaacs Avenue already providing such opportunities and I would like to see more community funding for volunteer-run spaces like that.

Is there anything else Whitman students should know about our community that you haven’t mentioned yet?

I always encourage students from Whitman to become active parts of our community. While it is easy for Whitman students to keep their lives restricted to on-campus life, there are lots of cool opportunities to become involved, such as working at small businesses downtown or joining local groups like the weekday evening road bike rides with Allegro Cyclery.

Beyond the interview:

Joshua Huh will be available for questions and further conversations on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at noon in Reid Campus Center, room 207. The Career and Community Engagement Center will provide lunch for the first 10 students in attendance. Please send your questions, ideas or requests for accommodation to Noah Leavitt at leavitns@whitman.edu.