Growing up I wanted to be a teacher, a doctor, a paleontologist (I told my mom that when I was 3), a forensic scientist, and at the age of 17 I was convinced I’d make it big on Broadway. If someone told me that I’d own a coffee shop one day I wouldn’t have believed them, but now here I am living my dream as a small business owner.
People ask, how did this happen?
I’ve had jobs in all different fields; I was a marketing assistant, a music promotion intern, a freelance website designer, and a personal trainer, but anytime someone asked me what my favorite job I have ever had was, it was always when I worked as a barista in college. Being a barista I always got to do my two favorite things, talk to people and be creative. There was something so freeing about not being tied to a desk or a screen and becoming a part of people’s morning routine instead.
Out of college I began working in a marketing firm, it was cold and lonely. I spent a few months trying to work through my resentment toward the job, but it never faded. I realized, I’m young, I have time, if this job isn’t it, don’t force it because I have time to figure it out. So. I quit.
After leaving that job, I got a few jobs working as a group fitness instructor and then a personal trainer which I loved and still to this day love dearly. I’m thankful I experienced that job and met some wonderful people along the way who inspire me daily.
Fast forward to the Summer of 2020. I’d lost my personal training job temporarily as gyms closed down and my coffee shop gig cut back my hours so I was left with a lot of time to think about a Plan B. My mom approached me with the idea of finally opening the coffee shop that I’d always talked about so with not much to lose at the time, we went for it.
I’d brought up the idea to my best friend and co-worker, Taylor, that maybe we’d like to strike out on our own someday and have our own little shop. The word spread and long story short, both Taylor and I were let go by our boss at the coffeeshop we worked at together. Once you and your friend lose your job over a dream, you better make that dream come true so that at least you got fired for a good reason.
crossroads. was born with the mindset that I wanted to “right the wrongs” I saw happening in some shops I worked in.
First being food waste. At crossroads. we keep the menu small and seasonal so that we only stock what we know will sell so we aren’t left with a ton of unsold food at the end of the day. We value our customer feedback and we adjust to what the customer wants, that couples with not being wasteful. If we make what the customer will buy, then we won’t have much left over!
Second thing was wanted to focus on was quality over quantity. It’s easy to get lost in all of the suggestions and fun ideas that flood the wall of a coffeeshop, but at crossroads. we wanted to hone in on doing what we know we’re good at and really perfecting that. We’re lucky enough to work with Perkatory Coffee Roasters for our beans so we know the quality of our coffee will always be consistently amazing. As for baked goods we keep the menu small focusing on staple items and a rotating selection of some speciality items so that you know when you order something from crossroads. the quality of product will always be high and the item will be fresh and made in-house.
Third, we want to focus on heightening the customer experience. To the crossroads. staff and I, this isn’t just another job, this is something we love that we can share with others. When you come into crossroads. we want you to feel welcomed and at home. I’m a North Haven resident so it makes me extremely proud to serve the town that I live in. This isn’t a chain where you’re just a name on a cup or a spot where the workers are just there for a paycheck.
This is our world that we love and we want to welcome you to it.
-Montana
Owner and Founder of crossroads.