Ohio Coffee Shop Uses Cup Sleeves to Help Find Missing People
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two decades have passed since Brian Shaffer, an Ohio State University medical student, vanished after a night out at a bar. His disappearance remains one of Ohio’s most haunting unsolved cases. But now, a local coffee shop is turning everyday coffee runs into a powerful tool to help bring missing people home.
At Carroll Cup Coffee House, every cup served comes with a purpose. Instead of plain sleeves, customers find faces—photos of missing Ohioans, along with their names and details. The initiative, launched earlier this year, has already distributed over 1,000 sleeves featuring different missing persons, sparking conversations and, hopefully, new leads.
A Modern Take on an Old Idea
Owner June Queen drew inspiration from the iconic “missing children” milk cartons of the 1980s. “Back then, families sat around the breakfast table and saw those faces every morning,” Queen said. “I thought, why not do the same thing with coffee sleeves? People hold them, look at them—it’s a small but meaningful way to keep these cases alive.”
The effort has resonated with families desperate for answers. Among those featured is Andy Chapman, who disappeared nearly 20 years ago. His sister, Aimee Chapman, says seeing his face on coffee cups gives her family hope.
“Andy wasn’t just a missing person—he was a father, a son, a brother,” Aimee said. “Every time someone carries a cup with his picture, it’s another chance for someone to remember something. That’s everything to us.”
A Growing Movement
Queen hopes other coffee shops will join the effort. “Imagine if every café in Ohio—or even the country—did this,” she said. “The more eyes on these cases, the better the chances of bringing someone home.”
Ohio sees thousands of missing persons cases each year, according to the state attorney general’s office. While many are resolved quickly, some—like Brian Shaffer’s and Andy Chapman’s—remain open for years, even decades.
For now, Carroll Cup Coffee House continues its mission, one sleeve at a time. As customers sip their morning brew, they’re reminded that behind every missing person’s photo is a family still waiting for answers.
— Reported by Nexio News
