The past year was gracious and giving for very few. From the “show-stopping” pandemic to other various fits of misfortune, most people recognize 2020 as one to forget. This is not the case for Sierra Thomas and her husband, Luke Thomas, the new owners of local coffee kiosk Espresso 58.
Sierra Thomas was attending Lane Community College, working towards becoming a nurse, and found herself working at the Bean Hopper in Creswell to pay for it. She reveled in coffee stand experience and left wanting more.
“I was meeting new people, creating relationships with customers, and I developed a real knack for talking with people.”
During this time, she says her schooling and personal life left her feeling frustrated and unsure. But throughout everything she still had Luke. As high school sweethearts, they’ve kept each other stable.
After becoming manager of Blue Valley Bistro’s newest coffee stand in Pleasant Hill, Sierra Thomas went all in. She had set her eyes on a new goal: owning her own coffee shop. At 23, she was already a young manager, but she wanted more. Sierra and Luke had worked out a plan with owners Melissa Clark and Seth Clark of Blue Valley Bistro (formerly Creswell Coffee). After five years, they would sell her the kiosk, Then COVID-19 changed some things.
After the virus that upended restaurants and local businesses countrywide sank its teeth into the Lane County area, Sierra knew she had an opportunity. This new addition to the Clarks’ business was now a liability rather than an asset, and Sierra was willing to take it off their hands. By July 16, Sierra and Luke Thomas were the new owners of a coffee kiosk right along Highway 58, in the Pisgah Public Market. Espresso 58 was theirs, and they jumped straight in.
“Everyone was just really excited, we seemed busier, and I can’t even explain how it felt. At the end of the day I would never take back what we did,” Sierra Thomas says.
Finally, one more curveball got thrown at the couple. After finalizing the purchase, they found out an addition was on the way: Sierra Thomas was pregnant.
“This is totally our life. When things happen, they happen all at once,” Sierra Thomas says of Luke’s reaction to her pregnancy.
Even though Sierra and Luke have a lot on their plate, they say the community has been supportive.
“It kinda feels surreal, the support we have had alone, from customers or employees,” Sierra Thomas says.
Sierra and Luke Thomas’ daughter, Adair, was born Dec. 21, 2020.
Espresso 58 is located at 35855 OR-58 in Pleasant Hill and is open from Monday to Friday 6 am to 6 pm; And 7 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
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