By Helina Bailey
I am a coffee lover. My morning routine includes a large cup of iced coffee. If I am being honest, it’s more like two or three cups, with a few more in the afternoon. I’m not fancy with my cup o’ Joe. I’ll drink it black in a pinch, but I prefer it iced with a bit of milk. Every once in a while, I will give in to a craving for a decadent frappuccino, when I’m missing the Northwest.
While living in Washington state, near Seattle, I was spoiled with coffee shops on every corner. Although I mostly drink coffee out of necessity, sticking to my drip coffee, as that has the most caffeine, the ice cream based frappuccino desserts that my favorite coffee shack served up were irresistible. On a cold day when the moisture from Norris Lake is hanging in the air, I get a bit nostalgic and reminisce on winter days in Washington. But where can I find such a drink in this coffee desert?
Ridge and Valley Coffeehouse serves up just what I need when I am feeling nostalgic or showing visitors around the area. Tucked into a little corner next to Food City, it’s easy to miss, but worth searching out. Owned and run by Emily Farladeau, the sweet little shop is a welcome sight to those in search of a specialty drink or a strong cup of drip coffee. The young, pregnant, entrepreneur is a coffee connoisseur who also spent time in the Pacific Northwest and fell in love with high quality coffee drinks. She dreamed of one day opening her own little coffee shop and made those dreams come true in 2021 when she opened Ridge and Valley Coffeehouse in Maynardville.
Right now, Emily is a one woman show. She has two part time high school student workers that come in on weekends to help with the workload. Otherwise, Emily is doing it alone, while going through a difficult pregnancy. She is passionate about coffee and running her shop but is uncertain of what the future holds for her and the coffee shop. Since the time change, business has slowed down, so she can’t afford to hire someone to manage the shop in her absence. With a smile on her face but a sadness in her eyes, Emily explained that she has reason to believe she might be delivering her baby early and be forced to take a leave of absence.
In the meantime, Emily is working diligently to keep the doors open and ensure the community has access to good quality coffee and has a place to study or gather. Her shop is home to various Bible Study groups and is available for more or book club meetings. Having worked alongside Emily at the Farmers Market in Maynardville all summer long, I was able to witness the hustle and grit that she possesses.
In an effort to promote shopping local this holiday season and to support small businesses, I will be holding a free writing class on Saturday, December 3rd at 12pm, at the coffee shop. In this class, I will go over the basics of how to self publish a book and walk aspiring authors through the steps of self publishing. Writers do not need to have a manuscript in hand in order to attend. Writers in all stages of the writing process are welcome to sip coffee and learn how to get your idea from your head, into a printed book. Happy Holidays!