BONNERS FERRY — A new business in Boundary County is serving up more than coffee and homemade food.  

Idaho Mercantile & 9Beans Coffee Co., affectionately known as “The Merc,” has opened its doors with a mission to bring people together while helping support local education. 

Owned by Lucas and Charli Turner, the new mercantile and coffee shop celebrated its grand opening Oct. 30 alongside Foundations School's Harvest Festival. 

The celebration brought families and community members together for an evening of carnival games, a petting zoo, food trucks, a silent auction and the opportunity to explore the new business. 

According to Charli Turner, the event was the culmination of more than a year of planning and months of renovations. 

“We were hoping to be done by June, but that's not ever how construction works,” Turner said. 

The Turners, who also own Turner Plumbing and Foundations School, spent months renovating and reorganizing the building, which houses both the plumbing business and the new mercantile.  

The name itself has a special meaning for Turner, who recalled a small mercantile near her high school called the Corvallis Mercantile. Students affectionately called the store “The Merc,” and Turner remembered it as a popular gathering place where students would stop for lunch. 

Cassidy McKee came up with the name 9Beans Coffee Co. as a nod to Boundary County's 9B license plate designation, tying the coffee shop to the local community. 

The Merc offers a selection of Idaho-made products, gifts, locally crafted items and branded merchandise alongside a coffee shop serving breakfast and lunch. 

Currently, the menu includes sandwiches made with homemade bread, crepes, breakfast sandwiches, burritos, biscuits and gravy, and rotating daily specials. 

McKee, a former Foundations School teacher, serves as general manager, while Caitlin Chaffin oversees baking, cooking, and daily food preparation. 

Turner said McKee had long wanted to open a coffee shop and played an important role in designing the space and developing its operations. 

The business also offers complimentary drip coffee daily for veterans, first responders, loggers, and seniors. 

While food and merchandise are key parts of the new venture, Turner said the business was developed with a larger purpose in mind. 

“The school was a huge part of that because we are always trying to find ways that we can earn more money for the school,” Turner said. 

The goal is for revenue from the mercantile to help offset rent, utilities and other expenses associated with Foundations School, reducing financial pressure on the school, and helping keep tuition affordable for families. 

The business also received a substantial boost from Baked and Lavished, which donated approximately $18,000 worth of merchandise when it closed. The donated items helped stock the new mercantile, with proceeds from their sale going toward supporting the school. 

The Merc is already providing additional opportunities for Foundations School students, who can order breakfast or lunch through a daily selection system, giving them access to hot meals during the school day. 

The business is also becoming an extension of the school's hands-on educational approach. 

Turner said students in an entrepreneurship class helped develop ideas for the business, learning about planning, business formation, and other aspects of starting a company. 

Some students are now participating in apprenticeships at the coffee shop, helping with dishes, food preparation, and other daily responsibilities. 

Beyond its connection to the school, Turner hopes the business will become a welcoming gathering place for residents and visitors alike. 

The shop offers free Wi-Fi and comfortable seating, and Turner said customers have already begun making themselves at home, with some spending hours working or visiting. 

One of her favorite moments came during the grand opening, when a family traveling from Canada noticed the festivities and decided to stop. 

The family joined the celebration, enjoyed food and coffee, and stayed late into the evening. After spending the night in their motorhome, they returned the following morning for breakfast. 

As employees prepared food on the shop's first morning of regular business, Turner noticed the family gathered near the fireplace, having a Bible study together. 

For Turner, the moment captured exactly what she had envisioned for the space. She said seeing the family feel so comfortable and welcome on the business's very first morning was especially rewarding. 

The business is continuing to expand its selection of Idaho-made products and is working toward opening its silo drive-through coffee service. 

Turner said she hopes the Merc becomes a place where people can step away from their busy schedules, enjoy a meal or cup of coffee, and feel at home. 

“I just hope it's a place where people want to go and just have a minute to take a breath,” she said. 

Idaho Mercantile & 9Beans Coffee Co. is located at 31 Dusty Lane in Naples. The Merc is open Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the kitchen closing at 4 p.m. Coffee and to-go meals remain available until 5:30 p.m. Saturday hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.