Raindrop Coffee Shop and Their Special Garden
Photo credit: Mary Beth Schwartz
The Raindrop Coffee Shop is a favorite stop for anyone who loves a great cup of coffee, no matter how they like their coffee. The story of the shop goes back to 1980, when owner Jessie Noah’s grandfather, Bill Noah, purchased the lot where the coffee shop now stands. In 2002, Sandy Nudo opened the coffee shop. Jessie stated that Sandy was ahead of her time in bringing the coffee shop to town, well before they became the popular places they are today.
In November 2020, Jessie’s grandfather passed away, and she inherited the property just as the Nudos were ready to step away from running the coffee shop. Jessie said, “I had never thought about owning a coffee shop. I have always been a person who has done manual labor and owning a coffee shop was way outside of my comfort zone. But I also saw it as an opportunity.”
She said that there have been many unexpected benefits of being here, such as how happy it makes her when people come into the shop, seeing the new mural next door take shape, and realizing just how long longtime resident Ray Turnbull has wanted to see the mural brought to life.
This summer has brought exciting changes not only to the shop itself but also to the surrounding lot. Though Jessie never considered herself much of a gardener, with the help of the community she has transformed this little corner along Highway 95 into more than just a stop for coffee. New landscaping has brightened up the corner with colorful flowers, succulents, herbs, vines, giant pumpkins and other fun plants.
The garden welcomes not only customers, but a steady stream of pollinators - hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Jessie mentioned that her employees love looking out the window and seeing the pollinators enjoy the garden.
Many areas have community gardens where individuals tend their own little plots of earth. But Jessie Noah’s garden is a Community Garden in a much deeper sense. This is a garden created with the help of friends and neighbors in the community.
As Jessie shared about her garden, it became clear that it was more than just her project; it was a true community effort. When a juniper bush stood in the way, a neighbor stepped in to remove it and refused to be paid. To protect the coffee shop from trailers turning in, Jessie needed a barrier that was both functional and attractive. A local construction company hand-selected rocks from their quarry and carefully placed each one for maximum effect. A friend designed and installed a system to bring water to every plant. Jessie’s dad contributed two truckloads of fertile soil from his ranch, and another friend donated additional soil, spent hours wheelbarrowing it into the garden, and helped plant 200 seedling plugs by hand.
Others in the community brought ideas, shared plants and seeds, and gave of their time to help bring this garden to life. With the help of these special people Jessie, has not only grown a beautiful garden, but formed new friendships and gained an even greater appreciation of those in our town and the surrounding area.
An interesting part of the garden’s development is how it almost took a very different turn. At first, Jessie received a recommendation to place gravel around the large landscape rocks, since gravel would require less upkeep than flowers or other vegetation. However, as she visited with friends and neighbors it became clear the lot could offer something special.
As we walked around the garden we talked about the plants and how friends had shared plants and the knowledge of growing each plant with Jessie. The friends had identified perennials that could be counted on to come back year after year. They also gave suggestions for plants that would be good to fill the large open spaces of the garden while offering a fun touch to the garden. Pumpkins and squash were recommended to fill those spaces. Now as you walk past the garden you can’t help but notice the pumpkins. Some of the pumpkins are very large, while others are small and perfectly round.
Jessie’s garden includes cuttings from a plant that has thrived in her grandmother’s flower barrel for 38 years. Her mother, Kate, drew a connection between the garden and Jessie’s sister, Holly, who passed away while attending the University of Idaho, where she was majoring in landscape design. Landscaping is not something Jessie would have tried, but now being out in the garden reminds her of Holly.
Jessie is looking ahead to next year’s garden and welcomes ideas from the community. Squash bugs have been a challenge for her lately, so she’s especially interested in suggestions for plants that aren’t as vulnerable.
