Two coffee pros open new cafe in downtown Nampa with a traditional approach
Downtown Nampa has a new coffee shop.
First and Second Coffee Co., owned by Rachel and Joshua Mast, opened Dec. 20 at 310 12th Ave. S. in the Nampa Historic District.
“Nampa is often overlooked in terms of food and drink and, even if it’s a small contribution, we really hope to change that,” Rachel Mast said. “Our heart is just to give back to the community.”
The shop’s menu is pared down to be simple and traditional, Rachel Mast told the Idaho Statesman by phone. On it you’ll find standard espresso drinks like a latte, cappuccino, americano and cortado, which is equal parts espresso and milk. But what you won’t find is a caramel frappuccino, a sugary blended drink associated with the coffee chain Starbucks.
“We’re not catering to those kind of drinks,” Rachel Mast said.
A 12-ounce drip coffee will cost you $3.75 and a similarly sized latte $4.50. Expect to pay a little more for an alternative milk. The shop also has pour-overs and cold brew.
Its beans are sourced from Archive Coffee Roasters in Salem, Oregon, Rachel Mast said, and all its syrups are made from scratch, including the chocolate sauce. For non-coffee drinkers, the cafe has several tea options and non-caffeinated drinks like steamers, which is steamed milk with syrup. The shop is also serving pastries from Rose Hill Bakery in Caldwell, which she said are delivered daily.
The couple started their business venture years ago as a coffee cart, testing the waters at various community events, all while gearing up for something bigger.
“It gave us a sense of what customers were wanting,” Rachel Mast said. “We’d been wanting to open our own coffee shop for a while and the cart let us get our feet wet with what it’s like to operate a small business.”
During that time, the pair searched for the right brick-and-mortar location. In June 2022, they found it. Then, they renovated, hoping to bring their space in an old building “back to life,” she said.
The Masts, both seasoned baristas, worked together for years at Flying M Coffee in Nampa, where they first met. They later got married, bought their first home, in Nampa, and are raising a 1-year-old boy, who was born in Nampa. Joshua Mast has 15 years of experience in coffee, including as a roaster.
The couple are excited to bring local coffee-goers another option. Rachel Mast said lines at Flying M Coffee in Nampa often pour out the door, even on weekday afternoons.
“I think the Nampa area — we’ve seen so much growth as a community,” Rachel Mast said. “But we don’t have many established, sit-down coffee shops. You look at Boise and they’ve got 15 options within a couple of blocks.”
The pair also aim to provide opportunities for people to learn more about coffee and where First and Second Coffee Co. sources it.
So far, business is going well, she said.
“We’ve gotten a really great response from the community and I have no doubts that we’ll do well,” Rachel Mast said. “We have seating, tables and room at the bar. If customers want to come read their book or get their work done, great. If they want to have a visit with the barista and interact with us more, we’re excited for those opportunities, too.”
The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Sundays.
