Onyx Coffee Lab enlists former Junk Brands president as COO

Rogers-based Onyx Coffee Lab has tapped a familiar name as the company’s chief operating officer.

Craig Lile started the job in mid-May. He previously spent nearly six years as president of the apparel and manufacturing company Junk Brands in Bentonville. He resigned in January. Under his leadership, Junk Brands hired more employees, diversified apparel offerings and secured more retail partnerships and licensing agreements. The company also built a new, larger Bentonville headquarters.

“My words will not do justice to how memorable my time was at Junk,” Lile wrote on a social media post in February. “So thankful. For me, it’s time for a new challenge. Time for a good old-fashioned fight. Time to find a passion, dive in and keep going. Can’t wait to see what it is and who I get to do it with. I hope it’s like the team I just ran with. Great group of people doing great things. Striving to make a difference and being relentless.”

Lile is a former University of Arkansas golfer. In a recent interview with the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, he joked that his new COO title sounded pretentious.

“‘Learner of all things’ is probably where I am right now,” he quipped. “I’m drinking from a fire hose as far as information is concerned. They’ve got some really good people doing some amazing things already. My job is to try to remove some obstacles and let them keep doing what they’re doing. They’re successful already without me.”

Jon and Andrea Allen started Onyx in May 2012 as a tiny café in Springdale and 10 employees. It’s now a multimillion-dollar business with five Northwest Arkansas locations, more than 175 workers and a network of partnerships and e-commerce reach worldwide.

Lile said he met the Allens last year through a mutual friend.

“When we started talking, it wasn’t in any official capacity,” Lile said. “We connected a few times. Some of it was intentional, but other times we ran into each other because I loved Onyx and have been a customer for years.”

He said that after departing Junk Brands earlier this year, the conversation with the Allens continued, and the meetings became frequent.

“We had a few more conversations, and it ended where it ended,” he said. “I don’t know how I have been so lucky to be part of another great Northwest Arkansas brand. Like Junk Brands, Onyx is a well-known company in Northwest Arkansas but also probably more well-known outside Northwest Arkansas than many people realize. It’s got name recognition worldwide and involves many more people than you realize.”