Ask June and Tim McReynolds if owning a dozen franchise coffee shops had been in their plans, and you would get a resounding no. The two financial advisors were enjoying their private practice that specialized in corporate accounts and helping their clients’ employees find financial freedom. But then they had kids.

And then they realized just how much Oregon had changed.

Instead of the idyllic rural southern Oregon town they’d grown up in, the state’s values had changed drastically to the point that it sent the couple looking for a better place to raise a family. And in December 2019, they moved to Eagle, Idaho, still commuting to see clients and continuing their business.

But lost in reverie one morning after driving around to find a good cup of coffee, the McReynolds discussed how they both wished the empty lot within walking distance of their house had a coffee shop. Out of that discussion, an idea was born.

“We reached out to the Human Bean territory owner at the time and asked about buying one, but he said, ‘If you want them, you have to take them all,’” June said. “So we went from not knowing hardly anything about the coffee business to owning 11 within seven weeks.”

A year later, they opened a twelfth shop — and they haven’t looked back.

“People ask us all the time, ‘Why coffee?’” June said. “And I think God sometimes calls you to serve and you just have to do it.”

While transitioning from the world of finance to a food-based service industry seems like a drastic shift, the McReynolds family doesn’t see it that way.

“Selling coffee is really about helping people,” June said. “Coffee is one of the easiest ways to bless somebody and kind of make their day better. For some people, it’s an indulgence, a sweet treat. But for others, it’s survival. They need that coffee just to get their day started and get through it.”

“And for us, from an employer standpoint, it’s education and empowerment,” she said. “We do our best to empower our employees to take action in their own lives in whatever capacity that looks like so they can be successful. There’s not a huge difference between financial advisory and owning a coffee shop when you look at it that way.”

“I think one of the greatest things we get to do is building up team members,” Tim said. “Coffee shops are full of employees who it’s their first job and they’re learning to work as a team. Being able to help create that confidence in people so they feel like they can come into this stand and learn how to multitask and work with other team members and make the energy cohesive in the stand, that’s a rewarding aspect of this business. We see people start out somewhat shy and unsure, but then we see them improve and grow and flourish within a very short time, becoming a shining confident star in the stand.”

“People are going to be with us temporarily,” he said. “We know this isn’t a job people stay in for long. But we get to have that first contact to building confidence and communication skills which is vital for the success of the future teams they’re going to be on. And we get to be part of building that foundation.”

In Idaho, June and Tim have stressed the importance of maintaining the elements that make the state unique. From their unique brand of coffee stands (the classic rustic wooden style that is only found in the Human Bean shops located in the Treasure Valley) to their specialized, locally flavored drinks (the Huckleberry Snowy is wildly popular among customers), the McReynolds family has accomplished that — but maybe even more so in the values that they instill in their workers.

“We strive to provide our employees with an excellent work experience,” June said. “We’re kind of very Idaho — a little bit country and conservative…We strive to teach them not just how to make coffee and toss it out the window, but we teach them about the business.

“A lot of our managers are equipped to run their own business or started their own or bought businesses. If we can support them in their next step, we’re solidifying our community,” she said.

And if the McReynolds family has their way, they’ll continue to invest into the community for a long time, ensuring that the same elements that drew them to Idaho will be around for others to enjoy for a long time to come.

“I think Idaho is a refuge for so many and a beacon in the dark for so many people,” June said. “We’re here and we’re going to hunker down with our people. Idaho is a sweet refuge.”