Where You Go, There You Are: The Heart Behind Kehila Coffee 

Walk down West Union Street in Liberty, Indiana, and you'll find it in the tallest building beside the courthouse — a green and black storefront that hums with life before most of the town has stirred. Inside Kehila Coffee, the espresso machine sighs, a student spreads homework across a corner table, and someone's chicken salad is already selling fast. At the center of it all is Darah Finch, barista, owner, and the woman who dreamed this place into being. 

But to understand Kehila, you have to go back. Way back. 

A Hometown Girl Who Traveled to Find Her Way Home 

Darah grew up in Liberty. After high school, she did what so many young people long to do — she left. She traveled. She explored town after town, soaking up new places and new faces. And everywhere she wandered, one thing kept drawing her in. 

"Where I found myself in every town was a cute coffee shop," she remembers. 

Those little shops became more than pit stops. They became her anchors. They made her feel at home even when home was hundreds of miles away. So when she returned to Liberty a decade later, she carried a quiet conviction with her. She wanted to bring back the exact feeling those places had given her — and offer it to her own community. 

The Trip That Named a Dream 

The vision found its name on a trip to Israel. There, Darah encountered the Hebrew word Kehila — "community," or more fully, "a group of people working toward one goal or purpose." 

Something clicked. 

"That's exactly what we strive to be," she says. 

The word became the foundation for everything that followed. Not just a business name, but a mission statement painted into the very walls. 

Two Years of Patience 

Great things rarely happen overnight, and Kehila was no exception. Darah spent two full years researching, mapping, and figuring out how to open and sustain a coffee shop in a small town. 

"It took me two years figuring out how to open a shop in town," she says. 

From the beginning, she knew precisely what she wanted. Not just a place to buy coffee, but a neutral gathering space — somewhere a student could hang out after school, a teacher could grade papers, a writer could sit for hours working on a book. 

"That's what I saw when I was creating the shop," she says. 

On June 25, 2021, the doors finally opened. 

Approachable Craft, Poured with Care 

To deliver coffee worthy of the vision, Darah partnered with Deeper Roots Coffee, a specialty roaster out of Cincinnati. The result is craft espresso and brewed coffee that feels high-quality without feeling intimidating — whether you're ordering your everyday usual or trying something brand new. 

Alongside the drinks, the menu has grown into its own draw: breakfast sandwiches and bowls, bagels, burritos, pastries and gluten-free options, plus wraps, salads, soups, and grilled cheese for lunch. "For lunch we make our chicken salad in house every morning and usually sell out by the end of the day," Darah says. 

A Space Built for the Whole Town 

Just a quarter mile from all three of Liberty's schools, Kehila has become a second home for students. But its reach stretches further. Local businesses hold company meetings there. The town gathers for town meetings. Regional artists hang their work on the walls, with pieces the Kehila team has collected from travels abroad rounding out the collection. 

Free parking and an open-door policy mean anyone passing through is welcome. 

That community spirit hasn't gone unnoticed. Indiana University East's Business and Entrepreneurship department has highlighted and studied Darah's success. She's shared her journey through coffee tastings and guest lectures for the Union County Indiana Extension Homemakers. And in October 2026, she was celebrated in the "She Built This" campaign on Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point, honoring the region's most inspiring female entrepreneurs. 

Leading by Lifting Others 

Darah runs the café alongside her partner, Tayler, and their leadership style is rooted in trust. She sets clear ground rules and makes sure every employee is set up to succeed each shift. But growth, she believes, comes from something deeper. 

"What helps us to grow every day is allowing a space where each employee has a voice," she says — whether that's suggesting a new drink or rethinking the layout of the prep kitchen. 

Her favorite quote captures her outlook perfectly: "Wherever you go, there you are." She first heard it as a kid, riding in the truck with her dad, listening to the radio — a fitting full-circle moment for a woman now telling her own story on the air. 

Five Years In, and Just Getting Started 

Reaching and thriving through their fifth anniversary stands as Darah's proudest milestone. "The relationships we've built over these years are the only reason we were able to make this possible," she says. 

Now the dream is expanding — literally. Darah and Tayler recently purchased their building and the one next door. They're planning more space, more local merchandise and goods, more art, and a home for other creatives to grow and thrive. 

Through it all, one message stays at the center of everything Kehila does. 

"You are loved. You have a purpose and there is a reason why you are here," Darah says. "I hope you feel that every time you walk through our door."