It all began on a beautiful porch overlooking Lake Michigan.
Jim and Lisa were enjoying a quiet moment while on vacation in Door County, Wisconsin. Jim, always the one to look ahead and plan for the future, turned to Lisa and asked if she would want to run a small business when they retired. Jim’s vote would be to run a bed and breakfast in Telluride, Colorado; the idea was for him to run the ski tours while Lisa cooked and cleaned. After much thought, Lisa vetoed that idea!
She said if she were ever to run a business, she would want it to be a coffee shop. To her, a coffee shop evokes a warm and cozy feeling: Lisa spent many wonderful mornings sharing special time with her children and friends over coffee and bagels.
"I wanted to offer people a warm and comfortable place to step off the merry-go-round of life for a few minutes. A quiet, cozy, home-like environment without all the distractions and interruptions of home. I think what has surprised me the most is the popularity of the drive-thru window."
Because of this, Jim and Lisa focused on this for their second location, a two-sided drive-thru in Marion.
In January 2007, Julie Lammers and Scot Brown picked up the baton from Jim and Lisa Smith to continue to build on the great tradition of Coffeesmiths. Julie and Scot had wanted to own their own business for a long time and they shared a passion for great coffee. It seemed only natural for them to own and operate a coffeehouse. One of the most amazing benefits of owning a coffeehouse has been the relationships they have developed with our customers.
‘We are truly blessed by the people who visit our café and drive-thru. Thank you’.
Julie and Scot are looking for opportunities to bring the Coffeesmiths experience to more people. They are considering additional locations and are continuing to build their catering business.
If you have ideas or questions please contact them: info@coffeesmiths.com