Ranch House Coffee offers a place to sit and linger over a cup of Joe

By Lauren Brown
Burns Times-Herald

Jeni Stevens opened Ranch House Coffee in February of this year to provide Harney County residents with a comfortable place to hang out and chat with friends while enjoying an espresso drink.

She developed the Ranch House Coffee concept in talking with locals about the kind of coffeehouse they wanted in Burns. Ranchers and farmers wanted a place they could walk into and not be afraid of getting mud or hay on the floor. Local professionals wanted a place they could get healthy take out for lunch.

Stevens decided to combine rustic decor with a menu full of soups, sandwiches and a salad bar in hopes of creating a relaxed, welcoming coffeehouse that everyone would enjoy.

Ranch House Coffee, located at 83 W. Washington in downtown Burns, has been doing a brisk business since opening earlier this year. While customers stop in to get their morning coffee, Stevens said lunch time is when things really get busy. “I need to find a way to add more seating,” she said.

Stevens was born and raised in Hillsboro and worked for seven years as a Regional Foods Specialist for Starbucks. As part of her duties she traveled the Northwest region, going from Starbucks to Starbucks checking on food quality.

About three years ago, Stevens moved to Harney County after marrying her husband, David Ward. Ward works for Harney County Parole and Probation, but is currently serving a 13-month tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Stevens’ experience with Starbucks has come in handy in running her own full service coffee house. “I can pretty much make any espresso drink you want,” she said. And if she hasn’t heard of it, she can usually figure it out if you describe it to her.

The coffee brewed at Ranch House is her own blend of beans. The Ranch House blend is smooth and dark, while the Long Horn blend is a little lighter and brighter, according to Stevens.

Pastries on the menu include scones, muffins, cookies, biscotti and bundt cakes, some of which are made by Dana Copenhaver. Stevens said she would like to add Danish and a German chocolate brownie to the list.

Lunch items change monthly (sometimes weekly) and include soups, paninis, sandwiches and salad bar. In September, Stevens anticipates adding soup bread bowls and a baked potato bar. “I think we try and offer a little bit of a healthier option,” she said as far as lunches go. “I like to come up with fast food options that aren’t fast food.”

Stevens said in the future, she may add a delivery service for area businesses. She noted that when customers only have a 30-minute lunch, it can be hard to get in and out quickly enough to get back to work on time. So a delivery service would help. She also noted that people can call in orders so they are ready to pick up when they arrive at the coffee house.

Another future priority will be adding wireless Internet access.

Stevens said that what she enjoys most about her Burns business is the customer interaction. “Everybody’s friendly. If people come in and there’s no place to sit, they usually know somebody who invites them to sit at their table,” she said. “I call it the “Cheers” syndrome — when everybody knows you. That would never happen in Portland.”

Ranch House Coffee, 83 W. Washington, is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.