OUR TOWN
Best of the ‘Burg: Coffee Shops story by Megan Foster | photos by Lindsie Avalos design by Lizeth Valdes
The aroma of the beans fills your nose as you open the canister. The whir of the machine kicks on with a flip of a switch. You carefully put two scoops of coffee into place and brush off the excess. With a turn of the dial, the steady stream of caramel colored espresso drips into your cup. You take a sip, “Ahh.” You’re ready to start the day. This may be a regular routine for many. Joe, java or just regular old coffee, whatever you may know it as, it’s the nation’s favorite way to wake up. Drip, latte, cold brew and more, whatever your poison, everyone needs a jolt every now and again. Ellensburg, Washington has its own history with coffee. Some of the town’s local coffee shops date back to the 1990s; some with a longer, deeper history of their own.
Winegar’s For nearly 30 years, the Winegar family operated a small dairy farm in Ellensburg. However, “when the dairy market crashed, they sold the dairy farm and then… they started doing coffee and ice cream,” says Mikayla Stoffel, a barista at Winegar’s. Truman and Phoebe Winegar founded the Winegar Dairy in 1956, and then the Winegar’s Dairy Drive-in in 1960, according to the Winegar’s website. The family’s business continued to expand, update and remodel. Throughout the years, their children began to become more involved and eventually take over; Gary, their eldest son, and his wife Martha became heavily involved. “In 1992, Gary and Margo’s eldest, Richelle Winegar (now Winegar-Higdon), told her dad that after graduating from Central Washington
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University, she wanted to stay in Ellensburg,” according to the website. “Grandpa Truman and Papa Gary had voiced the desire to make ice cream and Richelle needed a job, so Richelle suggested that she come start that part of the business.” Winegar’s has a wide variety of coffee options, but Stoffel says customers “typically just like white chocolate mochas [or regular] mochas.” The shop uses Caffé D’arte coffee beans, which are from a Seattle based roastery. You can purchase these beans in store for personal use. Without hesitation Stoffel explains that their most popular drink is the Extreme Bull, which is their version of a flavored Red Bull. “Honestly, a lot of people get blue raspberry [and] green apple,” Stoffel says. “Not quite sure why, [but] it’s really popular.” Stoffel explains that while their caffeinated beverages are most popular, they also have a wide range for those who don’t drink caffeine. They offer hot chocolate, spiced cider, Italian soda, flavored teas and steamers, which Stoffel describes as steamed milk and flavoring; a coffee without the coffee. While they have plenty of popular items amongst their customers, they are notoriously known for their hand cranked ice cream. “Everyone just knows that Winegar’s has the best ice cream,” Stoffel says. If you’re having a hard time making up your mind, opt for a Winegar’s Espresso Shake, your choice of ice cream, blended with a shot of espresso to create a caffeinated milkshake. Aside from ice cream, Winegar’s has a range of food choices to appease customers’ needs. Options include hash browns, breakfast sandwiches and burritos, egg bowls, cookies, flavored breads, personal pizzas and more.