A new coffee shop has opened along the downtown drag on Main Street in Kalispell, where people visiting Mary’s Mountain Cookies or racing radio-controlled cars at The Rally Point can easily stop in for a quick pick-me-up.  

Black Tie Coffee Co-owner Maya Oursland is only 20 years old, but she knows her espresso. Running a coffee shop was always her dream as a child, she said. Three months into opening, it’s been an exciting process so far.  

Serving up espresso drinks, fresh brewed coffee and energy drinks — she said they’ve been very intentional with how the coffee is made, as well as what goes into it.  

“I care a lot about what I'm making. I use really important products, like organic coffee. That matters a lot to me [using clean products] ... You know, I could whip out a coffee quickly, but I choose to do it really slow. Because like I said, you have to be really intentional with a location like this that isn't quick and easy,” she said.  

She’s been homing in on the little steps that make a drink great, passing that information along to employees she’s training. There are four other employees working at the shop during the summer, she said.  Oursland co-owns the coffee shop with entrepreneur Jared Mecham, who also owns Black Tie Affairs, the Rally Point, Big Sky Bricks and Heroic Realms Hobbies and Games.  

In their building, located at 333 S. Main St. in downtown, he is also planning to open a restaurant. During their interview with the Daily Inter Lake, he said part of the historic building had been outfitted for an upcoming wedding.  

“Cross my fingers, it'll be [open] in two months. Maya will be running and being part of all of that as well,” he said.  

Many of the regulars are there to race at The Rally Point, which is a treasure trove for those who love RC cars. The first floor features a racetrack alongside shelves of cards and collectibles, and the floor below hosts tables of 3-D printers, dissected RC car parts and a crawler track built by owner Nate Brown. 

To accommodate those stopping by for a race, as well as those enjoying Kalispell at night, Black Tie Coffee is open later than most coffee locations. Opening at 10 a.m. and closing at 8 p.m., Oursland said they want the coffee shop to be a hangout location or a place people can swing by after they’ve had dinner downtown.  

“Once you get the restaurant crowds coming through, especially on the cruise nights and everything, there's tons of people on Main Street,” she said.  

Right now, things are a little slower. So, she’s been appreciating the opportunity to take her time while making drinks and talking to visitors who are here to enjoy the area.  

“I love the tourists that come by. I love hearing where they're coming from, and why they chose to come here for vacation. That's literally one of my favorite parts of this right now, is that I just like talk to everyone who comes in,” Oursland said.  

Located near the register is a diagram of the different coffee drinks people can order, including the proportions of milk or foam to espresso. While they still serve drinks like a well-known national chain to customers who want them, Oursland favors traditional espresso beverages.  

“I like bringing back the real coffee,” she said.  

Located at 333 S. Main St. in Kalispell, Black Tie Coffee is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. More information can be found on @blacktie_coffee on Instagram.  

Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4440 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support. 

    Co-owner Maya Oursland at Black Tie Coffee in Kalispell on Wednesday, June 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Black Tie Coffee in Kalispell on Wednesday, June 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider