Four coffee outlets keep Sisters awake

Sisters Coffee Company has been an institution since 1989.

Now three drive-through coffee kiosks in town have changed the tradition of going out for a cup of coffee.

"Yes, our business is changing," said Winfield Durham, founder and owner of Sisters Coffee on Hood Avenue, "but the change is not in our sales, as we sell everything we can roast, but in our relationship with our growers and wholesalers."

The local coffee company buys from all over the world: "Africa, Indonesia, Kona, with much of our import coming from Colombia," Durham said. "The conditions of the workers and those owning plantations there (in Colombia) is deplorable. We're trying to help overcome part of that.

"The problem is in the other growing areas as well, but we have a chance to do something in Central America to help with education and the health of children there; provide health coverage for grower and worker.

"We're helping to fund pension plans and free health care down there in Columbia. I believe we have a chance to participate in doing good for people.

"I think we have an ethical goal to overcome the 'ugly American' complaint by caring about the growers and their pickers.

Because of that we charge a little more because we pay a little more, but we offer a quality, custom-made product," he said.

The Bright Spot Juice and Java, a drive-through coffee kiosk on the corner of Pine and Main, is owned by Deri Frazee, daughter of Gary, who owns the adjacent automatic car wash.

Andie Lesowske, who works weekends only -- "so I can go to school during the week" -- estimated that they sell between 75 and 100 cups of coffee a day.

"I think it's higher during the week when we have more business traffic," she said. They open at 5:30 a.m. weekdays, 6:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

"One of our unique things about our business is that we offer a variety of sugar-free flavors," Lesowske said.

At the site of the Texaco on the western edge of Sisters is Bean Bank Espresso, owned by Shirley Webber.

"Hard to say how many cups we sell," said Michael Valoppi, the solo clerk, "but I know we went through seven gallons of milk yesterday. That probably amounts to 150 cups on average." They are open 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.

The third local kiosk is at the other (eastern) end of town at "The Cabin" corner intersection of Hood and Cascade Avenues. Two Sisters High School seniors, Tessa Durdan-Shaw and William Hansen, were working the weekend shift.

They said that they make,"frappés with real coffee" and sell "maybe 300 to 400 beverages a day."

Espresso Junction is owned by Rudi and Carla Booher, who also own Papandrea's Pizzeria at the same location.

They have outdoor seating as well as drive-through service and are open 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

While the kiosks cater to the drive-through trade, Sisters Coffee Company sells wholesale all over the west, primarily "up and down the Washington Coast, throughout Oregon and locally to Black Butte Ranch. We just sent an order to England," Durham said.

"We sell to a number of drive-through in the valley, and our mail order is very strong because of our 800 phone number," he said.

They have their own ovens for roasting and make their own blends.

"Our problem is we cannot roast enough of our specialty blends to take care of our customers. Our drop-in business is very good, but bulk sales is our main effort," Durham said.

He ticked off the blends they manufacture, counting 20.

"We employee eight people," he said. "Our roaster is cooking everyday. You can smell the wonderful aroma of the coffee being prepared in our ovens when driving by our store."

Those of us driven by caffeine can attest to that special smell saying "coffee's ready."