GARDEN CITY, Idaho — When you think of a hot cup of joe in the morning, skateboarding isn't usually the first thing that comes to mind, but for a local coffee shop, combining the two is in the name.
"Pushing a skateboard and pouring coffee. That's the origin of the actual name," explained Lucas Erlebach, one of the shop's owners.
A trio of skateboarders started Push and Pour in Garden City about three years ago. All three were professionally involved in the world of skateboarding in one way or another--but now they're working in the world of coffee. They say their two passions have more in common than you'd think.
"Skateboarding you have a bunch of individual people at a skate spot, skate park and they're all brought together by the skateboard," Erlebach said. "In a coffee shop, you look around and see people from all walks of life gathered to enjoy a cup of coffee."
Like other businesses, the pandemic has forced the shop to adapt. For them, that meant opening up a second facility in Boise dedicated to takeout only.
"Tried to kind of adapt--we only had one way right? It was figuring it out," said Erlebach.
"That space is quite small, there are no tables, there are leaning areas, but nothing you can sit on," explained Collin Clark, one of the owners of the shop. "So it provides quality coffee but for on the go."
Thanks to their skateboarding roots, the local skate community has been supportive of the shop, and helped them thrive even during a global pandemic.
"There's not a lot of money in skateboarding but there's a lot of love," Clark smiled.
Both locations are open 7 days a week, all year round. They wanted to be a COVID-safe haven where people could enjoy a moment of peace.
"It's a little slice of normalcy a little bit," Erlebach said. "It's nice."
It's a schedule that keeps them on their toes, but they still find time to skate together every day.
"Well, every day weather permits," Erlebach laughed.
