North Idaho’s Coffee and Bakery Gathering Place
Gabe and Mandy Booher love a good adventure. So, after five moves within the first three years of marriage, they were ready to embark on a new career—one they could enjoy together. While scanning Craigslist one evening, Gabe came across a listing for a coffee shop in Idaho that was closing. The couple—armed with a deep religious faith, an entrepreneurial spirit and a few years of experience working in coffee shops—took the leap and made the 1,300-mile move to Post Falls, Idaho, in February 2010.
Now named Terre Coffee, the shop has expanded to include three coffee and bakery locations, a drive-thru shop and a wholesale business.
Mandy and Gabe are constantly looking for the highest-quality ingredients to keep their products delicious and preservative-free, both in the bakery and behind the coffee bar. The couple also sources local products whenever they can.
Recognizing that gift cards are popular with both givers and recipients, Mandy says that the store has offered gift cards for a decade. “We use them in several ways, like making them a part of our holiday planning,” she says. “It’s important to think early for the holidays. Last December was our biggest year ever—our card sales were up 10% because we planned early.”
“It’s important to think early for the holidays. Last December was our biggest year ever—our card sales were up 10%.”
Mandy Booher, Terra Coffee, Northern Idaho
The company offers unique seasonal cards and matching envelopes on their website—something that helps customers make several gift card purchases at once.
Gift cards can also play another marketing role: training a team to look for new customers. “We especially want to highlight whenever a new customer is using a gift card they received from a friend,” Mandy says.
“That provides our team members a great opportunity to start a conversation,” she adds. “We want to build relationships with the people who visit our stores or stop by the drive-thru location. We want to continue to cultivate the relationship that started when a friend of theirs gave them a gift card.”
