For nearly two decades, Don Sammons was the Mayor and single citizen of the town of Buford, Wyoming: the world's least populous town. His private municipality had its own general store, zip code, and maybe not much else, but it was home.
In 2012, Sammons sold the town to Vietnamese coffee entrepreneur Pham Dinh Nguyen for $900,000 in an internet auction. Now Nguyen, the new lone resident and Mayor, has enlisted the former Mayor to help him run his Buford-based coffee business and continue influencing the future of the town he cared for for so long. But perhaps you are wondering if there is a demand in America for Vietnamese coffee? Don't we have enough java already? The Vietnamese, in fact, are known for their coffee. Specifically, they are celebrated for mixing delicious filter coffee with creamy condensed milk. So Mr. Nguyen might be on to something. We'll find out.
But this isn't just a story about the coffee business. It's also a tragic love story. Don Sammons originally bought the town of Buford in 1980 for his wife. They arrived in their new domain, 8,000 feet above sea level, in a red convertible. It was a terrible choice for the climate and prompted snickers from residents of neighboring towns. But the Los Angeles couple wanted a new life in the country surrounded by rugged nature. They pursued that dream together in Buford until Don's wife died six years later. All the years that followed, Sammons never left the town.
So the romantic has been replaced by the entrepreneur. And sure, Buford may be a little less poignant as a hub for Southeast Asian coffee importing. But after two decades, we must wish Mr. Sammons the best of luck moving on and out.
One Person Wyoming Town Reopens as Vietnamese Coffee Hub
In 2012, Sammons sold the town to Vietnamese coffee entrepreneur Pham Dinh Nguyen for $900,000 in an internet auction. Now Nguyen, the new lone resident and Mayor, has enlisted the former Mayor to help him run his Buford-based coffee business and continue influencing the future of the town he cared for for so long. But perhaps you are wondering if there is a demand in America for Vietnamese coffee? Don't we have enough java already? The Vietnamese, in fact, are known for their coffee. Specifically, they are celebrated for mixing delicious filter coffee with creamy condensed milk. So Mr. Nguyen might be on to something. We'll find out.
But this isn't just a story about the coffee business. It's also a tragic love story. Don Sammons originally bought the town of Buford in 1980 for his wife. They arrived in their new domain, 8,000 feet above sea level, in a red convertible. It was a terrible choice for the climate and prompted snickers from residents of neighboring towns. But the Los Angeles couple wanted a new life in the country surrounded by rugged nature. They pursued that dream together in Buford until Don's wife died six years later. All the years that followed, Sammons never left the town.
So the romantic has been replaced by the entrepreneur. And sure, Buford may be a little less poignant as a hub for Southeast Asian coffee importing. But after two decades, we must wish Mr. Sammons the best of luck moving on and out.
One Person Wyoming Town Reopens as Vietnamese Coffee Hub
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