Kraken's Story
Brewing Community, One Cup at a Time.
Meet the passionate owners of Kraken Coffee & Kitchen Co. in St. Marys, GA—bringing handcrafted coffee, fresh baked goods, and a love for great flavors to Camden County.
Get to know us and our why behind the Coffee in Saint Marys, GA!
The Team
Bill & Christine
Hi Everyone! We are Bill and Christine (Chris) and we came to St. Marys from Denver, CO, in 2019, happily trading our snow shovels for beach chairs and flip-flops—just like so many who fall in love with this area.
Bill has been visiting Southeast Georgia for over 30 years, always knowing it would one day become home.
Chris, an amazing chef and baker, has a passion for entertaining friends and family, making every gathering special.
We’re thrilled to open Kraken Coffee & Kitchen Co. with our good friends Christin and Colby, bringing our love for great coffee and food to Camden County. This passion comes from a lifetime of culinary experiences shared with family and friends while traveling the world.
In October 2022, we traveled with the Claflins to Kauai, Hawai’i, where we got to see firsthand what goes into an incredible cup of coffee, from the ground to the cup, at the Kauai Coffee Co. plantation. That experience inspired us to bring that same quality and care to every cup we serve at Kraken Coffee & Kitchen Co. Bill has also traveled to coffee farms in Mexico, El Salvador, and Costa Rica, learning the importance of farming, growth, processing, and cultivation in producing exceptional coffee.
Chris is stepping away from 30 years in dental hygiene, and Bill is winding down a 36-year career in law enforcement. Opening a coffee shop together has been a dream of ours—a second career where we can continue serving our community in a new and meaningful way. We believe that coffee brings people together, whether it’s to support local businesses, connect with neighbors, or simply enjoy a quiet moment.
Colby & Christin
Hello! We are Colby and Christin Claflin, proud owners of Kraken Coffee & Kitchen Co. here in beautiful St. Mary’s, Georgia.
We’ve been married for 27 years and are blessed with two wonderful daughters. Our Christian faith is the foundation of our lives, and we are grateful for the journey that has led us here.
Christin has a passion for caring for children and has owned her own in-home daycare for the past 18 years, treating every child as if they were her own. Colby has had an adventurous career path, earning four degrees—the most recent in Business Management and Leadership. After spending five years as a maintenance supervisor for a Fortune 500 company, he now works with the City of St. Marys.
We were drawn to St. Mary’s because of its charm, beauty, and incredible sense of community. Simply put, we love it here! The people we’ve met have been amazing, and we’re excited to be part of this wonderful town.
We look forward to welcoming you to Kraken Coffee & Kitchen Co. in historic downtown St. Mary’s. Stop by, say hello, and enjoy a great cup of coffee with us!