By Felicia Teiken

Special to the Forum

The longer I’m away from home the more our small town changes. Thank god. There is something so exciting about new things. Especially when you see the familiar faces behind all of the hard work to make the big things happen. 17-year-old Felicia would have thought that working at a place like The Monarch was the coolest job ever.

The job I did get to have at 17 was at Frazee Family Foods – a job full of its own stories that I’ll save for another time. Anyways, back to coffee, I don’t know Heather personally but you are absolutely nailing this sister! Seeing The Monarch thrive is absolutely incredible.

The Monarch is awesome! The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the bright orange cozy looking couch that I knew I was going to sit on while I sipped my iced coffee. Later, it was the windows, with the natural lighting, my mom and I snapped a pic with our orange strawed monarch sticker drinks and the sunshine hitting our faces.

That picture is my new favorite photo of her and I.

My mom, who is usually a simple coffee drinker and has only been to Caribou Coffee a handful of times (with me of course) made me order her drink. I ordered us both the Milky Way Mocha, iced, mine had oat milk and hers had regular milk.

I mentioned that my younger self would have loved working at The Monarch while living in Frazee. Instead, my 27-year-old self got to experience that dream at a busy coffee shop on the waterfront in Tacoma, Washington. I was a barista for about a year and while working there I learned just how challenging – but incredibly fun – being a barista can be. Working with coffee is literally like a science. A really creative fun science. I truly hope that baristas at The Monarch love their job as much as I did. 

It can be stressful but it might also be one of the funnest jobs you ever get to have in your life!

You’ll be happy to know (if you don’t already): The Monarch has good coffee! The shots were timed perfectly, there was just the right amount of ice, and the barista who made it (I’m so sorry I didn’t catch your name but you were awesome) gave it a stir so the syrup wasn’t just sitting at the bottom. I went back to the Monarch the next day and asked Bob if I could write this column. He obviously said yes, thanks Bob.

If The Monarch is any indication of what direction Frazee is going, we all have a lot to be excited about! Our small town is evolving, and being part of that, even as a visitor, is amazing. I can’t wait to try steak night at The Gobbler (it’s a collab with Ketters Meat Market so I know it will be bomb) or the Macaroons from the new bakery. Here’s to more favorite moments, and more reasons to come back and celebrate the growth of this little town.