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The e-bug bit hard and, in 1997, she partnered with<br />
her mother, Cynthia Ross, to open “Salads to Go”–a niche<br />
kiosk business in the Portland area. They started with<br />
salads and soon added sandwiches until the e-bug bit<br />
again when the coffee kiosk man next to them asked if<br />
they would like to purchase his business.<br />
Knowing zilch about coffee, they did their research by<br />
going to every coffee shop they could find in the Portland<br />
area discovering espressos, lattes, mochas and more until<br />
they were able to form their own personal touch in the<br />
coffee world called “Coffee Clutch”.<br />
Their business took off, and life was great, but the<br />
beauty of the Ore. mountains and the peacefulness of the<br />
Pacific Ocean started to pale in comparison to the family<br />
they missed “back home” in N.D.<br />
In 2005, they decided it was just too long to be away<br />
and that they no longer wanted to miss Christmases full<br />
of cousins, aunts and uncles, or go a year or more without<br />
seeing family members. So they made the move “back<br />
home” to open Serendipity Coffee House.<br />
Their family was nervous for them and came in nearly<br />
every day to be sure they would have customers. The<br />
family soon found that there was nothing to worry about<br />
and that the coffee house was doing great.<br />
Ross believes her openness to what the <strong>Dick</strong>inson<br />
community wanted, coupled with her great Northwest<br />
experience and the fact that she did not fear failure,<br />
allowed the business to keep growing.<br />
Serendipity outgrew its strip mall home in 2007 and<br />
moved to its current location on the corner of State and<br />
Fairway right next to JD’s BBQ (which just happens to be<br />
owned by Ross’s brother, Jeremy Dean Ross).<br />
Ross describes Serendipity as a place to relax and slow<br />
down in this fast-paced world—a place where you can<br />
read a book, have a nice conversation or spend time as a<br />
family just listening to live music.<br />
“Some days, I just sit back and try to take everything<br />
in because it’s everything I ever dreamt of, and it’s really<br />
happening. We are blessed to do what we love, where we<br />
want to do it,” said Ross. Kind of sounds like serendipity<br />
to me!<br />
Nicole Morrison-Mathern is assistant director of the Harold<br />
Schafer Emerging Leaders Academy at the University of Mary<br />
as well as the co-owner of the 100% women-owned businesses,<br />
Moxe In Action, LLC, Entertainment Resources, and URL (U<br />
Rock Lately) Radio.<br />
You've Come A Long Way Baby is sponsored by:<br />
April 2009 43
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