Visit the Columbus Cafe That Serves Coffee for a Cause

Jeffrey Clark and Ben Willis met while working in Columbus coffee shops and, over the years, talked increasingly about opening their own place. In late 2020, the duo launched Parable Cafe inside Columbus’ Comune restaurant, and it quickly became a local favorite.

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Editor’s Note: This story was originally published in our May 2023 issue but was most recently updated in March 2025 to reflect changes to the shop, including expanded food and drink menu options and a change in name from Parable Coffee to Parable Cafe. Additionally, Aaron Clouse is no longer on staff, leaving the cafe in December 2023.

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In summer 2022, Clark and Willis moved into their own space on South High Street downtown. The new digs sit in the corner of the former Lazarus department store building, complete with tall windows, globe-shaped lights and loads of greenery.

The drinks themselves are certainly the draw, from rich brewed coffee to single-origin espresso to sesame miso caramel latte, but there is more at play here. Clark and Willis are also seeking to create a better and more supportive environment for their employees. No tips are accepted. Instead, drinks are priced between $5 and $9 to properly pay their workers a living wage.

“We know that it’s not just a cup of coffee,” Willis says. “Every single step to get that coffee to you involves a human being. People try to reduce things to just the product and they’re not considering how the product came to be. We’re paying everyone, every step, the appropriate price.”

The cafe started by offering coffee as well as pastries made by pastry chef, Aaron Clouse. Though Clouse is no longer with the restaurant, Parable Cafe still offers a selection of pastries and coffee, and expanded its offerings to include breakfast dishes, small plates, sandwiches and cocktails. Several offerings rotate seasonally, and this winter, visitors can enjoy fried chicken sandwiches, smashburgers and much more. In addition to cocktails, visitors can take home wine and sake from the onsite bottle shop. 

Those who do not have the funds for coffee or food can pay what they are able or have their meal covered by Parable’s community card, building on the sense of inclusiveness and support that Clark and Willis are working to create.

The shop’s name comes from the title of Octavia E. Butler’s 1993 post-apocalyptic novel Parable of the Sower, which explores social and financial inequality. In it, the main character comes to recognize humanity’s role in changing the world for the better. A quote from the author is printed at the top of Parable’s menu and on a sandwich board out front: “All that you touch you change. All that you change changes you.” 

149 S. High St., Columbus 43215, 614/636-0341, parable.coffee