Silver Valley Jitterz opening a success

SMELTERVILLE — Lines of cars wrapping around the parking lot was a common sight for much of the day last Tuesday when Jitterz Espresso held the grand opening of its brand new Silver Valley coffee stand. 

Most people in Kootenai County are already familiar with the locally owned and operated chain of coffee stands, but over the years and in recent months, Jitterz has expanded throughout the Panhandle, including to Smelterville. 

Owner Laura Quast was thrilled by the reception the new stand received.

“We didn't know what to expect since we don't have a presence in the Silver Valley, but it exceeded our expectations,” Quast said. “Everyone was so welcoming and so nice and patient in our long lines.”

Those long lines were not due to the pacing of the baristas either. 

Quast said cars were already waiting when the stand opened at 4:30 a.m. Jan. 2, with a line of cars on either side of the stand until closing at 7 p.m. 

“We didn't have even time to take food breaks because we had a steady line of 10-15 cars on each side for the full 14.5 hours of our operating hours,” Quast said. “Most people were getting multiple drinks per car.” 

Quast had hoped the stand would open in November, but staffing issues pushed them back to after the holidays. One of the hallmarks of Jitterz is that Quast goes above and beyond to train her baristas 

“We take pride in furthering our education in coffee and making sure we are providing quality to our customer base,” Quast previously said. “We are unified and consistent between our stands so you will always get the same quality, customer service, speed and overall experience.” 

Currently, eight new baristas are going through training, and four locals have completed it already — in the meantime, staff from the other stands are making the commute to help get the Smelterville location on its feet. 

With 14 locations currently, one of the goals Quast insists upon with each new stand is that it makes a positive impact on the community it serves. 

“We are so excited to be a part of the Shoshone County community. We are excited to provide jobs for the community. We are excited to showcase our love for coffee and community,” Quast said. “We plan on being involved in many different ways from sponsoring schools, sports and any community needs we can.” 

Even in the chaos of the grand opening, Quast remained thankful for the opportunity and was more concerned about the quality of their product after nearly 15 hours of slinging drinks. 

“It was a great success and we are so very thankful for everyone who stopped by,” she said. “We hope our quality was maintained throughout the day as it was a bit chaotic.”   

Along with a traditional coffee menu, Jitterz offers daily specials as well as a bagel and burrito bar that allows people to custom order a snack. Quast has also made sure to stock up on as many options as possible to meet even the strictest of dietary restrictions. 

Jitterz Espresso is located at 20 Nearing Way, in Smelterville — in the Grocery Outlet parking lot. Hours of operation are 4:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.