"It's like 'Cheers', but with coffee"

--Heather Mason, owner of Mason's Place

MOSES LAKE — For Heather Mason, the opening of Mason’s Place’s new location is about more than fresh paint, expanded seating or future menu offerings.

It is the culmination of more than a decade of relationships, regular customers and community support that helped transform a small coffee shop’s dream into one of Moses Lake’s most popular third spaces.

After 11 years in the Smith Martin Building, Mason’s Place has moved into a larger standalone space that allows for a full kitchen, room to grow and new opportunities to serve customers. But as she looked around the café shortly before opening day, Mason said what struck her most was not the renovation itself.

“Here I am in this beautiful space making coffee, and I just could not wait to serve people,” Mason said. “My reaction is, I’m just so happy to be here.”

That excitement is shared by customers who have followed Mason’s Place through the move.

“It’s always a really nice but humbling surprise when I hear from people how much this place means to them,” Mason said. “I just feel like I’m a person who wants to make coffee for people and bake and stuff.”

Over the years, Mason’s Place has become more than a coffee shop for many residents. It has become what Mason describes as a “third place” — somewhere between home and work where people can gather, relax and connect.

“A third place is a home away from home,” she said. “You have your home, you have your work, and then you have a third place where you go to get away, to feel safe, to feel comfortable.”

Creating that feeling was at the heart of the new design.

Warm wood accents, plants hanging overhead, colorful walls and comfortable seating fill the space. Mason said she wanted customers to walk through the door and immediately feel something.

“I really wanted people to walk in and kind of be taken aback,” she said. “I wanted people to feel a reaction when they came in. I loved the other place, but I really want this space for people to have a visceral reaction, like, ‘Oh it's so crazy or so different or so bright,’ or whatever people's reaction may be. I just wanted them to feel something." 

The response has been immediate.

“It just feels good in here,” is the comment Mason said she has heard repeatedly since opening.

Taylor Poplawski, a barista who has worked at Mason’s Place for nearly five years, said customers have been overwhelmingly positive.

“Everybody walks in and says how beautiful it is,” Poplawski said.

While leaving the old location was bittersweet, she believes the new café captures the spirit customers loved while creating room for the business to grow.

“Heather made it into a really cozy space that I think people are going to love,” Poplawski said.

That growth would not have been possible without years of support from loyal regulars, Mason said.

“The exact thing that I intended for this place has happened,” she said. “A place where people feel welcomed when they walk in.”

On opening week, customers arrived with flowers and words of encouragement. Others stopped by before the café officially opened, peeking through the door to see the progress. Mason ended up giving away several drinks before the registers were even running simply because she was excited to start making coffee again.

The first unofficial customers in the new location were longtime regulars.

“They were our very dear loyal regulars, so it was perfect,” she said.

For barista Joshua Suehiro, who has worked at Mason’s Place for nearly seven years, the customer relationships are a major reason he has stayed with the business for so long.

“It’s the people and the community,” Suehiro said. “There are a lot of regulars, and Heather’s a very nice boss. It’s a very inviting place to be.”

He said seeing regular customers embrace the new location has been especially rewarding.

“We’ve had plenty of regulars come in and see how much they like the space,” he said. “Heather’s done a really good job with making sure everyone’s still invited in.”

The move also marks a new chapter for the café’s food program. With a larger kitchen, Mason’s Place is expanding its house-made pastries while developing breakfast and lunch options, including more gluten-free offerings.

Mason said many of those additions are a direct response to customer requests.

“I started getting asked so often, ‘What do you have for gluten-free?’” she said. “It made me realize there must not be that much available for them.”

Baker Kait Chase said the expanded kitchen creates exciting possibilities for the future.

“I love working with my coworkers and getting food for the community of Moses Lake,” Chase said.

Chase, who joined the team after being laid off from a previous position, said Mason’s support helped her during a difficult time.

“I have Heather to thank for helping me bounce back on my feet after a layoff,” she said.

As Mason’s Place settles into its new home, there are plans for live music, movie nights, art workshops and other community-centered events. The goal, Mason said, is to create a place where people want to linger, connect and feel welcome.

For Mason, however, the new building ultimately represents something larger than an expansion. It represents the customers who returned day after day, the employees who helped carry the business forward, and a community that embraced a small coffee shop and helped it grow.

“I just want to say thank you,” Mason said. “It’s so humbling that people want to come here and be a part of it. This place has become exactly what I hoped it would be.”

More than a decade after opening her doors, Mason still thinks of the café in simple terms.

“Like ‘Cheers,’ but with coffee,” she said. “That’s what I like to think this is.”

    Two raspberry frappuccinos wait to be picked up by customers at the new Mason’s Place location. The new location will continue serving its signature drinks and baked goods but will be expanding to offer a breakfast and lunch menu in the near future.  

    Mason’s Place barista Taylor Poplawski warms up two muffins for customers at the new location. She said the move was bittersweet, and she will miss working from the Smith Martin Building, but she is excited to grow into the new building.  

    Mason’s Place owner Heather Mason said she spent the last three weeks preparing the new space for customers. Mason’s Place only had to close for a week and a half to finish the move from the Smith Martin Building to its new location on Broadway Ave.  

    Mason’s Place Barista Joshua Suehiro steams milk for a latte at the new Broadway Avenue location. He has been a barista at Mason’s Place for seven years.  

    Barista Josh Suehiro pours a latte for a customer. He said he has received a lot of compliments on the new space and how it’s decorated.  

    A Mason’s Place customer picks up two drinks at the coffee shop's new location on Broadway Avenue.  

    Mason’s Place Owner Heather Mason and Baker Kait Chase work on biscuits Tuesday. Chase is the newest baker, and she said she has enjoyed the job so far.  

    Mason’s Place barista Josh Suehiro pours a double shot of espresso for customers Tuesday. He said he pulls around 100 shots during a normal shift.  

    Mason’s Place Owner Heather Mason said one of her goals for the new location is for it to be a third place for the community. She explained everyone has two places, work and home, but she wants a third place for people to come and feel comfortable whether with friends or by themselves.