Damon Terrell, manager, and Tara Rogness, new owner of North Dakota Coffee Connection.
Tara Rogness has always wanted to have her own business. The Devils Lake resident had the opportunity to achieve her dream with North Dakota Coffee Connection back in June.
“I ran into [former owner] LeAnn Klett at a local restaurant and she told me she was looking at selling her coffee shop,” Rogness said.
The shop was first in the hands of Phyllis and Royce Caldwell. They then sold it to Klett who officially retired on Oct. 31. You can check out the DLJ’s article from Nov. 12 on Klett’s retirement online.
Rogness, who works at the accounting department at Spirit Lake Casino, talked it over with her husband, Eric, but they needed someone to manage the store. They reached out to a family member, Damon Terrell, to ask if he would be willing to take the position.
“We thought he would be a good guy to manage the coffee shop,” she said. When he said “yes,” the process of buying the coffee shop moved forward. Nov. 6 was the first day it opened under Rogness.
Rogness said she didn’t want to change up the shop due to it being “around for 20 years” and “[having] a great reputation.” She’s continuing to keep the shop a family-run business. Her daughter, Abigail, is helping with the baked goods. Her husband, Eric, and her son Alex are helping with maintenance.
“We’re adding a little of our own twist.”
One of their new additions to the menu is keto-friendly shakes. They had samples at the Holiday Showcase and have various flavors available. They are a healthy alternative to a shake that could have lots of sugar and are also packed with protein. Some of the flavors are apple pie, chocolate, and mocha.
They are also looking to add breakfast items soon such as overnight oats and gluten-friendly desserts.
“We’re just really excited to see everyone every morning and send them away with a hot cup of coffee and a treat for their day,” Rogness said with a smile.
