Microlender: Center for Rural Affairs
- Location: Scribner, Nebraska
- Loan amount:
Lisa Lawton’s love of coffee knows no bounds.
She was born and raised in Scribner, Nebraska, but for many years, she lived in Washington state, the birthplace of Starbucks. There, she was surrounded by coffee shops, but when she moved back home, she had to drive 12 miles to get a latte.
Lisa decided that was unacceptable, and her solution was to open her own coffee shop in Scribner.
Finding the right building became her first priority. Lisa had several ideas and places in mind, and almost bought a spot downtown, but there wouldn’t have been enough room for a drive-thru, which she felt was essential for any coffee shop.
Once Lisa found a home for her shop, she had the business up and running in two months.
“Starting my business was probably one of the toughest things I’ve had to do in my life,” she said. “It took a lot of coordination with construction and vendors, and we did a lot of the work ourselves. We had a few hiccups in the building that made me have to change my plan a few times, and I met with several contractors. Thankfully, one had a great plan that worked for us as far as layout. Also, getting the paperwork/business plan done was a lot, but it’s necessary when looking for funding.”
Lisa turned to Scribner’s economic development director for assistance securing funds if she needed extra help and was referred to the Center for Rural Affairs. With some of her own money and a good plan, she was able to obtain funds split between the Center and another resource.
Lori Schrader, senior loan specialist with the Center, helped guide Lisa through the loan process. With the financing she received in November 2023, Lisa was able to open Elkhorn River Coffee Company.
“Lisa’s loan helped her with startup costs and working capital, and helped start her off on the right foot,” Lori said. “She is always looking for ways to improve sales, improve products, and support other local business owners.”
Additionally, Lori helped by providing Lisa with extra time to work with a marketing/design resource on her website. And she let Lisa know she could refinance for some extra working capital.
“If you have a good business idea and a well-thought-out plan, the Center will help you,” Lisa said. “It has worked out pretty well because they offer other help besides just the funds. They really want to see you succeed, so there is help with marketing, accounting–really, anything, and they will help you find what you need if you ask.”
While Lisa worked hard to open her shop, she also put a lot of thought into choosing a business name that would stand out and be relatable to people who live in Nebraska.
“When I was a kid, we loved the Elkhorn River and spent a lot of time in and around it,” she said. “I wanted a name that would be authentically Nebraska, and Elkhorn River Coffee Company really does that. I designed the logo myself.”
Not only is the name unique to the area, the building itself used to be the office for Scribner Grain and the coffee shop’s drive-thru lane was the scale. An unintentional bonus is that the drive-thru is big enough to accommodate campers, trailers, and more.
“There is plenty of room for even a semi-truck if they are careful,” Lisa said. “We just had to make a hole for the drive-thru window where a small window was before. We have had tractors, horses, and fire trucks, but you can also park and walk inside.”
Inside, customers are greeted by the aroma of freshly roasted espresso, brewed coffee, and cold brew. She offers a small breakfast and lunch menu, as well as locally made pastries. The beans she uses are locally roasted.
“I plan to eventually roast my own beans, but I procure them in Omaha from a local roaster,” Lisa said. “Unless you roast your own beans, you do have to source them from a more metro area. I drive 45 miles each way weekly to pick them up freshly roasted. They are a very important reason why people like our coffee. You can taste the difference! I had to taste a lot of coffee in Omaha to find a roaster that I was happy with.”
She stresses to anyone who wants to run a successful coffee shop that the most important way to keep customers coming back is picking the right coffee beans from the right roaster.
“Another reason why local is better is because they (other local business owners) want you to succeed, so they will help you in any way they can,” Lisa said. “They are a great resource for questions and training.”
Research is also a big factor in a business owner’s success, as well as finding a good mentor. Having experience in the industry makes a difference, too.
“Have a good plan, study your subject, know it like the back of your hand,” Lisa said. “I had experience in many different areas: property management, sales, advertising, marketing, and I had worked in the service industry. Not specifically coffee, but food and drink service. But I love coffee and learned all I could about the business. The rest fell into place because everything I had done before helped in some way. Plus, I had one or two people I was able to talk to about the business, people who were in the business themselves for a while, folks who had grown their business, and I was able to pick their brain in areas I was unsure of.”
Finding dependable staff and creating balance in the schedule has been one of Lisa’s biggest challenges. While she works full-time almost every day, she has 10 part-time employees who all have different availability to cover shifts.
“We are a small town, and although we have many people who will travel to get our product, we don’t have a lot of people who can work the hours that we require,” she said. “You are always juggling schedules and you rarely get days off, and planned days off become work days when you have call-outs.”
Challenges aside, Lisa enjoys owning her business and becoming reacquainted with her hometown after being gone for so long.
“I am proud of my creation,” she said. “It’s really neat to see how far it’s come, and to see how it’s affected my community in a positive way. I like to give back when I can and we have had a few fundraisers that have made me so proud to live in Scribner. The community really comes out to support those who need it.”
She’s also diligent in making sure people stay updated on everything Elkhorn River Coffee Company has to offer.
“You have to remind people that you are there,” Lisa said. “I use social media every single day. I place radio ads, and people tell me they hear them so I know they are working. I support fundraisers and charities, and I sponsor community events. I am working on a plan to get a sign out next to the highway to draw people in. There are people who specifically look to see what my specials are before they come, so I know it works. But I do it repeatedly, over and over. You may think it seems like too much, but it is never too much.”
Lisa hopes to continue growing her business, and as a wife and mom of four, she has plenty to keep her busy.
“We love living in our little town of Scribner,” she said. “I do have plans to expand our business with a roasting side and then more shops. It is the American dream to open your own business and be successful. You don’t have to be rich to make that dream happen. With a good plan, and help from places like the Center, it really is possible.”
Are you in need of financing to purchase or upgrade a business? Contact your regional loan specialist. Find yours at cfra.org/lending-staff.