Dr. Carlton McLellan (Ph.D.) is a Lima, Ohio–born entrepreneur, global diplomacy expert, and Founder, Owner, and CEO of Vibe Coffeehouse & Café. While the coffeehouse is proudly headquartered in his hometown of Lima, Ohio, Dr. McLellan is a long-term resident of the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area, which he currently calls home. With more than two decades of experience in international affairs—including senior leadership roles with U.S. and global organizations—Dr. McLellan envisioned Vibe as far more than a coffee shop. He created it as a cultural hub designed to inspire, educate, and connect people through the shared global love of coffee.
Incorporated in 2017 and officially opened in 2021, Vibe Coffeehouse represents the intersection of Dr. McLellan’s lifelong commitment to building bridges across cultures and his deep appreciation for coffeehouses—and coffee itself—as powerful vehicles for connection, creativity, and change. Having traveled, lived, and worked in more than 30 countries—and collaborated with people from over 150 nations—coffeehouses were a constant in his global journey. Those experiences now shape Vibe’s mission: to be a proudly Black-owned, coffee-centered community source of pride, providing products and spaces that inspire creativity, positivity, and social connection, while exposing individuals to other countries and cultures through the global love of coffee.
Under Dr. McLellan’s leadership, Vibe Coffeehouse has grown into a true community anchor, forming more than 150 partnerships with individuals, organizations, artists, schools, and businesses since opening. Vibe roasts its coffee in-house, with a particular focus on African-origin coffees, while also featuring distinctive single-country offerings and thoughtfully crafted blends from around the world. This approach reflects both a respect for coffee’s origins and a commitment to storytelling—honoring the people, places, and cultures behind every cup.
At the heart of Vibe’s philosophy is a growing commitment to the circular coffee economy and to reimagining all the ways coffee can create value beyond the cup, and how coffeehouses can serve as catalysts for meaningful community impact. Vibe actively explores innovative and inclusive approaches that extend coffee’s lifecycle—supporting responsible sourcing, in-house roasting, creative reuse, and local entrepreneurship. For Vibe, coffee is not just a beverage; it is a tool for education, economic creativity, environmental responsibility, and community empowerment—capable of creating change, changing lives, and helping build more sustainable futures.
Beyond coffee, Vibe serves as a platform for cultural exchange and creative expression. The coffeehouse supports local artists, makers, and entrepreneurs, hosts a wide range of community events, and fosters collaborations that reflect Dr. McLellan’s appreciation for premium, hand-crafted products. These include partnerships with cigar enthusiasts, brands, and companies—rooted in the shared artisanal, cultural, and global parallels between coffee and premium, hand-rolled cigars.
Vibe Coffeehouse’s impact has been recognized for both business excellence and social engagement. Honors include a Rising Business of the Year Award nomination and recognition on the Ohio School Boards Association Business Honor Roll for youth engagement initiatives. Vibe has also developed strong partnerships with local educational institutions, including a long-standing collaboration with Lima Senior High School’s DECA program, where students gain hands-on experience in marketing, entrepreneurship, fundraising, and event management.
Dr. McLellan earned his Ph.D. in International Policy Studies from the University of Pretoria (South Africa), a Master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Bachelor’s degree from Ohio University. Alongside leading Vibe Coffeehouse, he continues his work as a senior international exchange and diplomacy professional and scholar, with a focus on global engagement and the history and contributions of Black American U.S. Ambassadors. Though he resides in the DMV area, his vision for Vibe ensures that its roots in Lima, Ohio—and its role as a globally minded, community-centered coffee enterprise—remain central to everything it does.