Woman goes from bartender to barista and opens own coffee shop in Scribner | Nebraska News

In addition to working part time at the Scribner Drugstore, Mandel also runs the Coffee Coop.

“Originally I just wanted to open a bake shop,” she said. “But several people urged me to make it a coffee shop. It was just what our town needed, so I took that leap of faith.”

While at home taking care of her little girls, Mandel had found a recipe for Snickers and cookie dough cupcakes.

“They sounded amazing,” she said.

Mandel started making other types of cupcakes for her family to taste test, and word quickly spread.

“I started putting photos of them on the internet and called them Candied Cupcakes,” she said.

Soon Mandel was filling orders for birthdays, holidays and weddings.

“I didn’t think it was going to take off,” she said, “but it ended up being something I loved doing.”

The largest order for cupcakes was 600 for a wedding,

Merienda business started booming, Mandel realized she needed to find rental space.

“Alisa Gull, who owns the beauty shop Beautiful U, told me the space next door was available,” she said.

At first Mandel resisted the idea.

“I had doubts about whether my business would succeed. But the second time Alisa brought it up, I went for it,” she said.

Alisa and her husband, Matt, helped with renovations, which included moving a wall back to allow more room, installing a ceiling fan, putting in a new window and repainting the interior.

“My dad picked out the color,” Mandel said. “And my sister is the one who came up with the name Coffee Coop. Her first idea was Coffee Bean, but then she thought about how fond I am of chickens.”

Mandel grew up on a farm about 5 miles north of Scribner.

“My grandparents lived there, too. I was always my happiest when I was at our farm,” she said.

Building pretend forts and playing with the animals were the highlights of her youth.

“I still live there,” she said. “I want my two daughters to have that same kind of experience.”

Mandel’s twins, Hayzlee and Rawlins, will be 3 in October.

Although her grandfather’s passing has been painful, Mandel said she has something very special to look forward to in a couple weeks.

“My fiancé, Mitchell, and I are getting married,” she said.

The two met through a friend, she said, then fell out of touch.

“Four years ago, I got hired at a bar, and he was working there,” she said.

Mitchell now works in construction.

“He was a big help in getting the place ready,” Mandel said. “He installed shelves and helped me paint.”

Her experience as a bartender made it easy for Mandel to learn on her own how to make different kinds of beverages for her coffee shop, including Frappuccino, iced coffees, and smoothies.

And her leap of faith landed her in a sweet situation.