About Us

Pale Horse Coffee is a veteran owned and operated business air-roasting premium beans in small batches from our roastery in Chesapeake, VA.

During our 70+ years of combined service to our country in the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, we found a passion for great coffees and we hope to share that love of caffeine with you and your families!

Meet the Owners!

A Texas native, Don is the founder of Pale Horse Coffee. Don retired from a 30-year career in the US Navy where he spent his first eight years as an Electronics Technician and his final 22 years as a Surface Warfare Officer. He now heads our Production, E-Commerce, and Marketing operations.


Hailing from New Jersey, Mike was originally a retailer for Pale Horse Coffee at his cigar shop and came on as a partner shortly before our roastery opened. A 20-year retired Chief Maritime Enforcement Specialist with the Coast Guard with a career split between Search and Rescue, Law Enforcement, and Counter Piracy/Terrorism operations. Mike is our Chief Roaster and Community Outreach.


Born & raised in Michigan, Gray started with Pale Horse with the opening of the flag ship brick & mortar roastery. Gray served in the USAF from 1982-2003, first as an enlisted ICBM electronic technician, commissioned in 1992 serving the remainder of his career as a Communications Officer. Gray heads-up Retail Operations, Wholesale Operations, and Finance.