How North Texas’ White Rhino Coffee Founder and CEO Chris Parvin Is Giving Back

Since 2007, White Rhino Coffee has served as a cozy social hub for North Texans. With 14 — soon to be 15 — locations across Dallas-Fort Worth, each unique White Rhino shop offers a space for guests to mingle among friends, tackle work projects, and enjoy some delicious brewed coffee and hearty bites. And over the past year, owner Chris Parvin has been committed to giving back.

In January, Parvin launched the White Rhino Coffee Foundation, focused on helping the homeless, the hungry, and at-risk youth. Some of the foundation’s most sizeable donations include a $500,000 donation to the 2024 Cattle Baron’s Ball to support cancer research. Parvin felt compelled to donate as many people in his life have been affected by cancer.

What Giving Back Means to White Rhino Coffee Founder Chris Parvin

“My great aunt, who was very much like a grandmother to me, died of breast cancer,” Parvin tells PaperCity. “My ex-wife had lymphatic cancer. At the Cattle Baron’s Ball, they had been auctioning off fun, fancy things, like spending the night at the Perot Museum. I bought a couple of those things.” 

At one point in the night, Parvin recalls the auctioneer playing a video telling the story of a man who had died from cancer. Following the video, the man’s wife and kids spoke to ball guests, reflecting on their lives with him. After hearing these stories, Parvin made a large donation on the fly. 

Parvin remembers being an at-risk youth himself, which is why the cause is close to his heart. When he was six years old, his parents divorced, and he remembers instability in his upbringing. “I had a single mom who did not have a lot of help from my father. It was hard for her, and she did the best she could,” Parvin says.

By “around 18 or 19,” Parvin says he was “living off of the Taco Bell value menu.” His humble beginnings have inspired him to serve his community. Over the years, Parvin has served as Cedar Hill City Councilman for nine years, Mayor Pro Tem for two years, and a Dallas County Truancy Court Magistrate. 

Between those years, he launched White Rhino Coffee after a conversation with his pastor.

How White Rhino Coffee Got Started

“[My pastor asked], ‘Well, if you didn’t practice law, what would you be doing?’ and I said, ‘Probably have a crappy coffee shop or something,’” Parvin tells us. “I knew nothing about coffee.”

Parvin explains that his pastor then told him that his son, Ryan Hennessy (who became White Rhino’s co-founder), had always wanted to open a coffee shop. The two met up, and Parvin asked him if he had any investment dollars.

“I was in my mid-30s, and [Hennessy] was his early 20s,” says Parvin. “‘No, I don’t have any money, [Hennessy told him]. Then I said, ‘Well, you have to have money to start a business.’ So he went on Wheel of Fortune and won $50,000.”

That “crappy coffee shop” idea has turned into one of the most popular coffee shops in North Texas over the last 17 years.

The Vision for White Rhino Coffee

“I think that the initial vision was just having a community place where people could get together,” Parvin says. “At first, we were just gonna get a bunch of Mr. Coffee machines. It’s come a long way, for sure.”

No two White Rhino locations are the same. The Bishop Arts spot, furnished with soft couches and cushioned seats, is designed for conversations among friends; the State Thomas location has two floors optimized for socialization and working. But Parvin will always have a soft spot for the original Cedar Hill location.

And while each store has its own unique je ne sais quoi, the menus across each location feature all of White Rhino’s signature items. While some coffee shops carry items from local bakeries and taquerias, Parvin was committed to White Rhino having its own food. Some of his favorite bites on the menu include the pimento biscuit and the breakfast strata.

As the White Rhino menu continues to develop and the shop expands, Parvin remains committed to giving back.

In October, he attended Dallas CASA’s 2024 Champion of Children Award Dinner with a $100,000 sponsorship. “Having a person who can come along and advocate for a child in court is an important thing to me,” he says.

In the years to come, Parvin envisions White Rhino Coffee growing to “about 750 to 800 stores statewide, but only if we maintain our quality.” He also wants to continue to give back through the foundation.

“I want to give our money away, but I want to do it efficiently, and I want to do it the right way,” Parvin says. “And for the foundation, I think if we can utilize our coffee shops to create giving partners with us, that’d be awesome.”

What’s Next for White Rhino Coffee

White Rhino Coffee will open in Cypress Waters in the spring of 2025. In the meantime, make sure to check out the newest (and largest) cafe location at their roastery in Oak Cliff. Roastery tours were just launched for those looking to learn more about White Rhino’s coffee (they emphasize traceability in their sourcing), and experimental menu items are offered at this cafe. The Oak Cliff location will also frequently host events to raise money for the White Rhino Coffee Foundation. Stay tuned for these event details on White Rhino’s Instagram.