SANDPOINT — Many locals recognize Jacob Holmberg as the guy who bikes fresh coffee around town from his coffee stand, Northern Grind.

Holmberg doesn’t just love selling coffee, he also enjoys getting to bless others by praying for them when they come by. He also enjoys helping young adults find financial freedom through responsible business management. 

Holmberg moved to Sandpoint from Oregon in 2021 to help other members of his church congregation plant a new church in the community.

“It was a journey, but we felt like God told us to come out here and plant a church,” he said. “... That’s why I came out here. But then, you know, you get out here and it’s like the coolest place ever.”

Having previous barista experience, it didn’t take Holmberg long to acquire his own coffee shop in Sandpoint, combining his love of God and coffee.

“When I worked at Dutch Bros, I fell in love with the culture,” he said. “When I worked at Starbucks, I supervised the busiest Starbucks in Oregon at the Portland airport, which is incredibly fast-paced. There were like 25 people in line at all times, 25 people waiting for their drink at all times and I had nine baristas … That’s when I fell in love with the ‘fast paced-ness’ of it all.”

Missing the fast-paced, upbeat environment of the coffee business, he got to work turning his spot among the other food trucks into a place of caffeine and worship.

Sandpoint’s coffee culture has helped enable Holmberg to tap into his passion for helping young adults achieve some financial independence. He said he enjoys working with young adults in the community, helping them earn money while they work at his coffee shop as well as teaching them the practices of how to run a small business.

His coffee cart bike he originally bought for fun, later realizing he could use it to make his deliveries instead of just offering curbside pickup. His deliveries haven’t always gone smoothly, however.

“I’ve crashed a bunch of times,” he said. “Pretty much anytime I took the bike out, people were looking at me, staring at me. They’re just always surprised. Then they see the rack with the coffees.”

One of Holmberg’s favorite parts of owning his own business has been getting to encourage and pray for others. 

“We have signs on both of our shops that say, ‘Hey, if you need prayer, just ask,’” he said. “I never expected the encounters I would experience by doing that. We’ve been having some straight up miracles happening.”

Holmberg recalled praying for a woman at the coffee shop who had been diagnosed with cancer and how she returned a month later cancer-free. 

After expanding his coffee stand by opening another location at the Cedar Street Bridge, Holmberg said he is once again ready to make some changes and pave the way for new endeavors in 2024. The coffee stand located in the food truck court has recently been placed on the market as Holmberg plans to focus his efforts on the Bridge location. The plan? Expanding his shop into a  frozen yogurt business.

“This is just the beginning,” he said. “I have a vision for my life and it’s just to keep growing and doing things that help the community and help other people … I’m not here to own a business just for me by any means.”  

Whichever direction Holmberg’s professional life takes him in this new chapter of Northern Grind, he said he plans to continue helping his community in whatever ways he can.

“The prayer thing is huge,” he said. “We want to bless people and help them step into who they’re supposed to be at a higher level, whether that’s spiritually, physically, mentally or financially.”