For 12 years, Jo Mama’s Coffee owner and operator Leigh Thorson has gotten to know her regular customers quite well. Each time they drive through, she describes it as their lives unfolding five minutes at a time.

“Over the years you come to compile those five minutes of time and then you kind of learn more of where they are and you miss them when you don’t see them,” Thorson said.

From the joys of getting married, welcoming a new baby, or losing a loved one, Thorson is always happy to engage in little conversation while she pulls espresso shots for a latte or whips up a frappuccino — her favorite and a specialty at Jo Mamma’s.

“I like the frappes. I don’t drink hot coffee, which surprises a lot of people,” Thorson said.

She describes a frappuccino as a “milkshake with coffee.”

“Everyone likes my frappes. A lot of people think I use ice cream; nope, I use Ghirardelli frappe mix. Helps it stay nice and bound together gives it a nice richness,” she explained.

Located at 2144 U.S. 2 E., Jo Mama’s stands out for its colorful blue siding and yellow trim, which was meant to draw the attention of traffic passing by. She is also just drawn to colorful things.

“Me and color go together,” Thorson said, talking through a mask dappled with bright yellow flowers against a black background.

People likely return, however, not just for the coffee, but for Thorson’s outgoing personality, hearty laugh and the daily trivia question. Answering the trivia question can get you 25 cents off, but its main purpose is to be a fun way to engage with customers.

Whether sending out a hot cup of coffee to the school crossing guard up the street, or having a caffeinated treat delivered to a regular customer who is sick at home, Thorson looks out for her community of coffee drinkers.

“I had an older lady who I consider to be my adopted mother, but she might not be old enough to be that,” Thorson said with a laugh. “And I didn’t see her, didn’t see her for a while, and I knew some of her neighbors because we had mentioned some names, and I asked one of the neighbors to find out what was going on.When she was feeling better he took her a coffee,” Thorson said.

WHEN THORSON went into the coffee business 12 years ago, she didn’t go into it with big expectations and didn’t anticipate how she would come to love it. At the time, she had quit her job at a title company to care for her ailing mother, who died just weeks after she’d wrapped up her job. With the blessing of family, she used a portion of inheritance money to start Jo Mama’s.

“Just like I said, it’s something I fell into. I used to be a bartender in college, now I’m a barista ...” she said, pausing with a laugh, "... as a mature woman.”

In coming up with a name, she thought about how her parents’ generation would have called it a “cup of joe,” but that name was taken.

“So, I went with Jo Mama’s because I’m a mama,” she said. “I may not have a name tag but if you call me Jo I’ll answer.”

Thorson is also a grandmother of six grandsons she enjoys spoiling in her spare time. Other pastimes include hiking, swimming, kayaking and taking care of three dogs, a cockatoo — which she said thinks it’s a dog — and a conure. She’s ventured into a more recent hobby of creating scenes on moose antlers people have given her over the years, using a Dremel tool.

“I can make it a lamp, or put on the wall as a scene. I’m experimenting,” she said, and has one project going. “I only have Sundays off and try to do one thing at a time.”

No matter what kind of day it is, she strives to approach it with gratitude.

“Everybody should be grateful for every day given and cherish every moment you have because you don’t know when tomorrow might not be here,” Thorson said. “I guess part of that came from 9/11 because that was an eye-opener for people my age and should be.”

“We should be thankful every day you’re given in our free country,” she added.

She also attributes her approach to life to her parents, who instilled in her living by the Golden Rule.

“I treat others as I’d like to be treated, you know, with respect and with kindness, and just let you know I care,” Thorson said.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.