When Lindsay Macdonald started Colter Coffee Roasting 10 years ago, he had a shop in Evergreen, a roaster capable of handling five pounds of beans, and an old espresso machine.
Now, Macdonald has three locations, the one in Evergreen now dedicated solely to roasting and packaging coffee for his two coffee shops in Kalispell, as well as the wholesale orders that make up half his business.
The company roasts and packages anywhere from 4,000 to 5,000 pounds of coffee each month, Macdonald said, and ships it to sellers in Bozeman, Livingston, Missoula, down the Bitterroot, and Eureka.
The most recent location to open up in Kalispell is at the Loading Dock on Center Street, which is also home to popular locales such as Brannigan’s Pub, Off Center Salon and Brix Bottleshop.
Having a different coffee shop space attracts more customers, Macdonald said, but the focus of the new store is on baking.
“Since we opened downtown, we’ve been buying baked goods from different bakeries,” Macdonald said.
But when one of his employees, Megan Secrest, left Colter to work as a baker and then found she needed a job again in Kalispell after taking care of family on the East Coast, Macdonald saw an opportunity to expand his business.
“I had been kicking around the idea of one day baking our own goods,” Macdonald said. “It was just kind of like a series of events that just unfolded in a fun way.”
The new shop is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Macdonald said the Colter bakery hopes to specialize in cookies.
Otherwise, the menu of baked goods customers are used to won’t change much, with the bakers still producing sweet and savory croissants, scones, sweetbreads, and gluten-free options, including the popular gluten-free bar.
A new location and a new venture into baking are just part of the goal to keep expanding, Macdonald said. Expansion was always the plan when he first started.
“I’m a dreamer, and if you don’t dream big, it’s not going to happen,” he said.
The Kalispell location on Main Street was vacated and remodeled in 2006, and Colter Coffee Roasting moved in in 2007.
It’s been a great fit, Macdonald said, allowing for a comfortable space for people to enjoy their coffee creations while reading, studying, or just chatting.
“It’s a beautiful building,” he said.
Since moving in, the company has also kept up with trends and innovations in the coffee world, including purchasing an espresso machine that has digital temperature control, making it easier for the barista staff to pull a better shot.
They’ve also invested in a new grinder that makes uniform grounds, he said, and gives the coffee a sweeter taste.
“We’re always trying to keep current with the techniques,” Macdonald said.
Colter Coffee is also known for its latte art designs, having held competitions for such creations, and for providing space for musicians to perform.
While he’s thankful his business has grown so much in 10 years, Macdonald said he misses being able to be more hands-on with his work, like roasting the beans and pulling the espresso shots.
He started Colter Coffee because he’s a self-described coffee geek who is obsessed with perfecting the art of coffee. When the company moved into the bigger Kalispell location, friends and customers told him to expand into food, like burritos or sandwiches, but that wasn’t part of his vision.
“I just wanted to be the best at coffee, and that’s all I wanted to do,” Macdonald said.