July 11, 2024

A new resident in Lennox has traded her day job for what she calls her dream job.

Cassidy Mutchler recently opened Saddle Up Espresso, a mobile coffee trailer at 515 N. Pine St. in Lennox.

For the past eight years, Mutchler has served in health care roles, including as a radiology technician and a patient care technician. She will works as needed in radiology and neurointerventional radiology at Sanford Health. But this year, she decided to open up the business she has dreamed about for years.

“I’ve never had a business before, but I love to take care of people,” Mutchler said. “When I moved to Lennox a year and a half ago, I realized I’d have to drive to Tea for coffee. I figured I’m not the only person who would like some coffee in Lennox.”

Saddle Up Espresso may become a brick-and-mortar location down the road Mutchler said. For now, the custom-built trailer is parked at Sunshine Foods. Saddle Up Espresso is open from 6 a.m. to noon weekdays during the summer and 7 to 11 a.m. Saturdays.

Customers will find the menu includes espresso, cold brew, Italian sodas, specialty hot chocolates and bakery items.

The business name stems from Mutchler’s other passion — horses. She has been running horses since she was young and currently has four on her acreage in Lennox.

“My horses are not just pets, they are literally family,” Mutchler said. “I went without horses for a few years and felt like a piece of me was missing.”

As she opens this business, Mutchler said she finds inspiration from her love for horses and also her faith in God.

“This past year, I’ve been listening to the Joyce Meyer podcast as I drive to Sanford,” Mutchler said. “After listening to those podcasts, I realized there is never going to be the ‘right time’ to open my business, which is something I’d been waiting for.”

That was when she realized it was time to start her dream business and that she wanted it to be a faith-based coffee venture.

“I didn’t understand how coffee was going to serve God, but I got to thinking about how coffee is often the first thing you have when you wake up,” Mutchler said. “So I got the idea to print Bible verse stickers to put on my drinks, a little hope to start the day with.”

Mutchler said it has not been easy, but she has found that every ounce of energy she puts into the coffee business has been “matched by strangers, friends and family.”

All the espresso beans come from the Sturgis Coffee Co. in Mutchler’s hometown. She said it was important to her to bring her home and the Black Hills into her coffee business. The cold brew grind is from Dark Canyon Coffee in Rapid City.

“I’m blessed with the amount of love from family, friends and strangers, and I hope that I can inspire and make somebody’s day better through this business.”

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