Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

THE OP LLC (“THE OP,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and safeguard personal information when you visit our website, make purchases in our store, participate in our loyalty programs, or attend our community events. THE OP LLC is an affiliated entity of Black Hills Consortium and its affiliated entities.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information:

• Customer purchase data: Transaction history, items purchased, payment method (processed through our GrowWise POS system and third-party payment processors — we do not store full credit card numbers), purchase date and time, and transaction amounts.
• Loyalty program data: Name, email address, phone number, loyalty points balance, reward redemption history, visit frequency, and product preferences collected when you enroll in our loyalty or campus passport programs.
• Event booking data: Name, email, phone number, event type, group size, date preferences, and special requirements provided when booking community events or reserving space at THE OP.
• Employee perks data: BHC employee identification, discount usage, and perks redemption data for employees participating in the campus benefits program.
• Website usage data: IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and interaction patterns collected through cookies and analytics tools.
• Communication data: Information provided when you contact us, submit feedback, or subscribe to our newsletter or event updates.
• Charitable round-up data: Aggregated donation amounts from POS round-up prompts benefiting Seed Foundation and BHC. Individual donation amounts are not linked to personal identifiers unless you request a receipt.

3. How We Use Your Information

• Processing purchases, managing transactions, and providing receipts
• Administering loyalty programs, tracking points, and delivering rewards
• Managing event bookings and community gathering reservations
• Personalizing your experience (remembering your favorite order, suggesting new items based on preferences)
• Sending promotional offers, new menu announcements, and event invitations (with your consent)
• Improving our products, services, and customer experience based on feedback and purchase patterns
• Processing charitable donations through our POS round-up program
• Communicating about offerings from THE OP and affiliated BHC entities (with your consent)
• Complying with legal obligations and protecting our rights

4. Information Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information with:

• BHC affiliated entities: We may share relevant information with other Black Hills Consortium entities (such as GrowWise for POS analytics, or Seed Foundation for charitable donation records) when you interact with services spanning multiple entities.
• Service providers: Third-party vendors who assist with payment processing, email delivery, POS systems, and analytics under contractual data protection obligations.
• Local partners: We may share aggregated, anonymized data with local coffee roasters, craft breweries, and artisan suppliers to improve product offerings. No personally identifiable information is shared with partners.
• Legal requirements: When required by law, court order, or governmental regulation.

5. Point-of-Sale & Payment Data

THE OP uses the GrowWise POS system for transaction processing. Payment card information is processed by PCI-compliant third-party payment processors and is not stored on our systems. Transaction data (items purchased, amounts, timestamps) is retained for business operations, tax compliance, and to improve our product offerings. The GrowWise POS may also serve as a live demonstration environment for BHC investor tours. Demonstration activities use anonymized transaction data only and never expose individual customer personal information.

6. Cookies & Tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience, analyze website traffic, and understand usage patterns. We use Vercel Analytics and Speed Insights for website performance monitoring. These tools collect anonymized usage data. You may configure your browser to refuse cookies, but some features of our website may not function properly without them.

7. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Payment processing is handled by PCI-compliant third-party providers. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy. Purchase transaction data is retained for up to 7 years for tax and accounting compliance. Loyalty program data is retained for the duration of your program membership. Website usage data is retained for up to 24 months. You may request deletion of your data at any time by contacting us.

9. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access and receive a copy of your personal data
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Request deletion of your personal data
• Opt out of loyalty program data collection by canceling your enrollment
• Opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking “unsubscribe” in any email or contacting us directly
• Object to or restrict certain processing of your personal data

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the address below.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our cafe welcomes families and children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 through our website or loyalty programs. Children may make purchases in-store with parental supervision. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 through digital channels, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our services following any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of South Dakota. Any disputes arising under this policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Custer County, South Dakota.

13. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us at legal@blackhillsconsortium.org.