Hailey Coffee Company Review

Hailey Coffee Co (www.haileycoffeeco.com)
219 S. Main Street
Hailey, ID 83333
(208) 788-8482

Idaho has a big smile across its belly. They call it the Snake River Valley and it goes all the way from the Wyoming border to the Oregon line. JJ and I drove through that smile with headwinds so strong that I swear we were standing still on the highway with the pedal to the metal! “Santiago” used a ton of gas on that stretch. So much, that we actually saw the fuel gage drop from ¾ full to ¼ in 30 minutes at one point. Sure, it’s funny NOW, but it was fairly stressful for little ol’ me and we needed to find a spot to park and call it a day. Where would that wind blow us?

Out came the map to see what was around … and with some successful maneuvering we sailed north up Highway 75 toward Sun Valley and the Sawtooth National Forest. The Idaho sun was beginning to set as we meandered through acres of golden fields spotted with bright red barns positioned here, and there. Passing through several towns, we arrived at our destination … Hailey. Although we didn’t have this town chosen, the second we hit the city line we agreed that this was the place. Simultaneously we saw the Hailey Coffee Company situated at a corner on Main Street. We set up camp in the Albertson’s parking lot (with reluctant permission from the manager) had some dinner then hit the hay.

We woke up to almost a foot of snow on the ground. Tee hee … the snow plow driver plowed all the way around “Santiago” during the night leaving us looking like a little oasis of happy snow campers; and very inconspicuous I might add. Any who … we headed off to get our morning brew!

Hailey Coffee Co. was THE happening place that day and from our conversations with the patrons, we discovered that it was the best coffeehouse in town. There were 3 baristas rockin’ it and a guy working the back of the house cooking breakfast items and washing dishes. A constant flow of local folks came in to enjoy the first snow of the season with a hot cup of Carrie’s locally roasted java.

We sat at a table in an east-facing window. The sun shone through the steamy window inviting us to relax for a bit. Many small, adjoining rooms had a variety of chairs, a sofa, a coffee bar with stools, and small tables that had been moved around to serve the various sizes of groups that gathered. One wall was particularly intriguing. The art looked etched into the creatively stained, stone looking wall and for me, conjured up feelings of a rustic European cottage. My eyes were pulled to trace the etchings and gave me time to daydream …

Just behind us was a woman working on an online college class. She came to town to “get away” from LA so she could focus on her class before the holidays hit. As she left to catch her flight, the table was scooted across the room to join with another to make ample room for three women drinking coffee and eating their freshly made muffins from their in-house bakery.

There was a vibrancy that attracted everyone from the local high school kids, the travelers, and us. We got involved in warm conversations with others and took photos so we could remember its offerings. As we were packing up to leave, a woman walked in with a dog. She had a gentle yet determined demeanor. Carrie Morgridge is the owner of Hailey Coffee Co. and she just happened into the store to grab come beans for a delivery. One of the baristas sent her over our way and she graciously spent time sharing her personal story of building a successful coffeehouse. “It’s really not that easy to run a little coffeehouse. I’m still learning; all the buying, hiring, marketing, budgeting ….”.

“Even though the economy is tough right now people still want their coffee. It’s a comfort food”, she said as she smiled and welcomed a guest by name. Carrie believes in giving back to her community and is involved in helping raise funds and awareness for several local non-profit groups. Her support of Camp Rainbow Gold (for kids with cancer) and local theater top her list. She also offers 1 pound bags of beans as a fundraiser for the local high school’s Amnesty International Club and for Expedition Inspiration: a local breast cancer awareness group. As a huge animal-lover she also supports the only non-kill animal shelter in Idaho. Gotta love her compassionate involvement

The roastery where she roasts only high quality organic, fair-trade Arabica coffee beans, is just a short block to the west of the coffeehouse. From there they ship their deliciously roasted beans all over the world. If you want to know more about the Hailey Coffee Co in Sun Valley, Idaho please stop in or visit their website at www.haileycoffeeco.com.

Peace out.

Category: Coffee Shop Reviews