Highway 12 Espresso Sees Best Three Months of Business During COVID-19 Pandemic

Editor’s Note: The Chronicle is working to assist local businesses suffering from the effects of the COVID-19 virus spread and associated government orders to close or limit commerce. There will be a feature on a local business in each edition of The Chronicle and at chronline.com moving forward. To be considered, email reporter Eric Trent at etrent@chronline.com. Additionally, The Chronicle will continue to offer its coverage of the coronavirus and its effects across the community, state and nation free outside of our paywall at chronline.com.

ROCHESTER — Ashley Skyberg braced for the worst when COVID-19 hit in March and every business in the state that wasn’t deemed essential was shut down.

Luckily, Skyberg’s business, Highway 12 Espresso, was one of those essential businesses. Washington state loves its coffee. It still left her fearing that customers would dry up and revenue would evaporate.

“We didn’t know what to expect,” Skyberg said. “Nobody’s been through anything like this. This is uncharted territory for any business owner.”

When Gov. Jay Inslee enacted the initial stay-at-home order on March 16, Skyberg decided to take one girl off each shift and leave just one employee running the stand at a time to counter the expected downturn. That lasted less than five days. Customers began driving off because the stand was so busy and the single employee couldn’t keep up with the flood of people.

Highway 12 Espresso went on to have its best three months of business — during mid-March through mid-May — since the coffee stand started six years ago.

Skyberg expects it’s because people are able to safely social-distance, remain in the safety of their vehicles and still get that social interaction with others.

“So many things were closed and it’s still some sort of normal interaction you’re having with someone,” Skyberg said. “When you go to a restaurant it’s so uncomfortable around people now. When you can go see a barista, get your coffee and have her ask how your day’s going, that’s a huge part for people. They really like that.”

Skyberg founded Highway 12 Espresso six years ago. As a Rochester native, she began working at the local Dairy Queen during high school, then soon started working as a barista at Grand Mound Espresso on the weekends, swinging two jobs at the same time.

She took a year off from being a barista then was hired at Stew’s Brews, which was the previous stand at the same location of what is now Highway 12 Espresso. She worked there for six months until the owner was ready to sell and Skyberg jumped at the opportunity. She had about four years of barista experience at that point.

The transition from employee to owner was definitely a learning experience, she said. 

“I feel like I’m getting better, but I’m always learning things as I go,” Skyberg said. “Managing girls is tough. Having employees, keeping them happy and keeping them long term is a big goal for me. If you keep them happy they stay, and when they stay your customers are happy because they see the same person and they really like that consistency.”

It’s not terribly difficult to train a new barista, Skyberg said. One might think the technical aspect of making coffee and preparing complex drinks would be the biggest learning curve, but the most crucial part of the job is the emotional connection the baristas have with people, Skyberg said.

“When you can ask them how their day is, how their kids are doing or how their doctor’s appointment went, I think people really appreciate that,” Skyberg said.

It’s what brings people back. It also helps that Skyberg grew up in the community and has known some of the locals since she was in kindergarten. 

Highway 12 Espresso uses Caffe D’arte beans. Some of the more popular drinks right now are the Fishbowl Lotus, which comes with rainbow nerds and Swedish fish. That runs for $5.50 for a 16-ounce. The White Gummy Bear, which includes passion fruit, pineapple, white peach and a coconut milk topper. That goes for $6.75 for a 16-ounce.  Another favorite, a peanut butter big train blended drink, has real peanut butter and chocolate and is topped with Reese’s Pieces and homemade whipped cream.

Skyberg has also been selling custom Highway 12 Espresso sweatshirts and tumblers. Right now they have Fourth of July sweatshirts for sale. Anything extra the business can make will help Skyberg and her employees in the future if anything does change and customers stop coming in, she said.

“I’m bracing myself because the economy seems like it’s getting ready to tank, and I don’t know what to expect from month-to-month,” Skyberg said. “I feel like I’m trying so much harder because I don’t know what to expect.”

But she’s confident the community will have her back like it always has. She belongs to the Rochester Chamber of Commerce, is a board member on the Rochester Citizen’s Group and donates time at the Swede Hall Event Center. She sends donations to the Rochester Organization of Families (ROOF), a food bank and an afterschool program for children, as well as to Safe and Sober Grad Night auction. Highway 12 Espresso is even on the school district’s Rochester Warriors card.

Skyberg said she’s grateful for the community’s support of her business, especially during these trying times.

“We like to be a part of the community, and we hope people know that when they come they’re talking to a person who grew up in the community and is a part of the community,” Skyberg said. “They’re helping a girl pay for college, or she’s got a kid and she’s got to take care of them.”

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Reporter Eric Trent can be reached at etrent@chronline.com. Visit chronline.com/business for more coverage of local businesses.