Owner of Mac's destined for business

ROYAL CITY - With parents, uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters in business, it made sense that Mackenzee Brown would end up with one of her own.

Sure enough, Brown launched her first enterprise, Mac's Mocha espresso stand on Labor Day weekend, and she's happy she did.

"The community has been really supportive, trying my coffee and giving me a chance," she said recently.

Brown offers 10 different espresso drinks, milk shakes, smoothies, Italian sodas, bagels, muffins and cookies. She does not do drip coffee, to avoid competing with her parents' Spud's Convenience Store across the street.

She does plan to have ice cream next summer.

Brown serves coffee from Pioneer Coffee Roasting Co. of Cle Elum. She came to know and appreciate it while attending Central Washington University.

By leasing ground from her parents, Brown has given herself the best chance for success. Her stand is located at the main entrance to town, next to the new Royal City welcome sign.

Brown saw about 30 customers on the first official day, Sept. 3. She's doing about 50 a day now.

"I really didn't have many expectations," she said. "I didn't have anything to base it on. There's not another espresso in town."

That latter fact encouraged Brown to give espresso a try. She is a coffee lover from late-night cramming at Central.

Brown, 23, is accustomed to the time and work a business requires. She started working as a child, pulling weeds on the family farm. She's been working ever since.

Brown has a Bachelor of Science degree from Central in Global Wine Studies, with a minor in communications.

"It was a new program, and my Aunt Rhonda (Davis) started a winery. So I was interested in wine," Brown said.

After college, Brown worked at a winery near Mattawa. It didn't take long for her to tire of that field.

"It really wasn't what I thought," she said.

Brown remembered back to a former dream. She was still in high school when she first thought of an espresso stand.

"I always thought they were neat and my town needed it," she said.

Brown's background is business. Her parents own Spud's; her sister Kelly Meseberg owns the Subway shop within. Her family also owns Brown Boy Onions and Golden West Bean. She has worked for her parents and her sister.

"I grew up working at the store," she said.

The stand itself was quite an undertaking. You could say it's mobile.

The stand was built in Montana for use in Arizona. Brown had it trucked to Royal City from there.

"It was ready to go. It had everything inside," she said.

Brown and her father added the carport-like extensions for the drive-thru effect. They still need to put up highway signs.

Mac's Mocha is open seven days a week from 5:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Brown usually works six days, from 5:30-2:00, but some days works all day. She has two part-time employees who work afternoons and Sundays.