IDA — Jamie Hunter and her husband, Heath, own and operate The Rusty Cup, a coffee shop located at 2866 Lewis Ave. The Monroe News recently interviewed Jamie to find out more about the Ida business.
How long has the coffee shop been in this location? We opened April 20, 2023, so it’s been a little over a year. Before us, there was a dog groomer and, at one time, this location was Alfred Clime Hardware. I have a historical picture from 1935 hanging in the shop of the old hardware store.
Where does the name The Rusty Cup come from? We always knew we wanted to open a coffee shop. The name came from our family sitting around, throwing out names and brainstorming.
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How did you get your start in coffee? For years, my husband and I had wanted to started a business. We love coffee. We love the atmosphere of coffee and the people. We’ve been married for almost 25 years. When we first got married, we went to a coffee shop and we loved the experience we had. For 25 years, it’s been a conversation to have a coffee shop or some sort of business.
How would you say The Rusty Cup is different from other coffee shops? Every coffee shop has its own vibe. The vibe that we chose for our coffee shop was based on our community. We went for that classic, modern farmhouse feel because that’s the kind of community that we’re in. We thought if it felt like home to us, it would feel like home to everyone else. That’s what people say when they come in. That they feel invited and they don’t want to leave.
What qualities do you think a barista should have? All of my staff need to be warm and inviting. They need to be able to communicate with people and be genuine. We genuinely care about our customers and hearing about their life and their different adventures. We love to hear about who is getting a new job or who is getting ready to have a baby. Our customers come in daily. Sometimes, two or three times a day. Being able to be genuine and communicate is so important.
What makes coffee such a popular beverage? It’s universal. No matter where you go, everybody can talk about coffee and everybody loves coffee. At our shop, there’s something for everyone. It’s not just coffee, there are all kinds of drinks.
Do you have any favorite blends or origins? No. I will say I’m very proud that the beans we source are local. We use Frenchtown Roasters, so we love supporting local roasters. We use Actual Coffee out of Toledo for our espresso beans. To me, it’s not only important that we have this universal language with coffee but the local roasters and the people we’re supporting are small businesses. That’s important to us.
What’s your most popular drink? Caramel Latte is a top seller. Caramel is a universal flavor. If someone comes in and does not know what they want, they will almost always get caramel because it’s safe. Vanilla would be the next flavor.
Besides a good cup of coffee, what else do you serve? We serve baked goods, blended frozen drinks, bubble teas and some breakfast items. We have lot of different options.
What’s the best part of owning your own business? The sense of community is the best part. I love coming to work. I did not work for several years so it was kind of interesting getting back into the work force. At first, it was overwhelming but the sense of community that is here in Ida and in this shop is amazing. It’s almost addicting. I love being part of the community and how everybody pulls together. That’s the best part.
The Rusty Cup
2866 Lewis Ave. in Ida
(734) 868-0075
— Contact reporter Lisa Vidaurri-Bowling at lvidaurribowling@gannett.com.
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