Something’s been missing from the business offerings in the town of St. Regis: a place to sit down with old friends and talk about the weather over a good cup of coffee.

 That place is now a reality at the Cozy Cabin Coffee and Mercantile. Warm sunlight pours into the window-counter seating; comfy chairs, old antiques, books, and board games welcome customers to stop and linger a while.  

Doug and Shannon Baum, transplants from Washington, dreamed up the coffee shop's vision. They pictured a space where people can sip a latte or tea, meet friends, bring their children or even their pups, and mingle with travelers passing through. Their grand opening on Oct. 7 brought five-star reviews, with many patrons commenting, “Kid-friendly, pet-friendly and super friendly barista!”

Trained as a barista back when Starbucks was the up-and-coming coffee empire, Doug enjoys crafting specialty lattes and orders. 

“I want to make the customers drink just like they want it; if it needs more flavor or sweeter, I want them to come away happy with what they got.” 

The transformation of the old Cantrell Fly Shop has been remarkable: from selling dry flies and walls covered in the catch of the day, to the airiness and openness of the coffee shop, which is surrounded by rustic warm wood walls, farmhouse furnishings, and corrugated tin. 

The Cozy Cabin brews Kravens Coffee from Spokane, Washington, for drip coffee and espresso as well. They also have a wide selection of teas from the Montana Tea and Spice Company out of Missoula. Dirty sodas are also on tap, as well as the popular Lotus energy creations. 

“We are excited to see how the space can be used in the future," Shannon said. "We’ll have a baby shower here in a few days, and some people have asked about using it for a book club; we just want to make it something the community uses and enjoys.” 

Customers are encouraged to bring in their laptop if they have work they need to do, with wi-fi provided to patrons. 

Doug mentioned, “People that travel and need reliable internet to do business, or even school kids coming to work on homework, having that available is nice.” 

The mercantile side of the Cozy Cabin is Shannon’s passion, displaying curated collections of antiques and hand-crafted items made in-house. As the business evolves in the coming weeks and months, they hope to have local photography hung and available for purchase. A large bookshelf offers customers the chance to read and have a coffee; then, if they like it, they can purchase the book and bring it home. 

Another focus the Baums have for the Cozy Cabin is affordability. Doug added, 

“We want to keep prices low so that locals can come in and become regulars.” 

The Baums worked tirelessly all summer to redesign and finish renovations of the Cozy Cabin. 

Doug said, “If it weren’t for all the local contractors we used, the electrician and the plumber, we wouldn’t have been able to get ready for opening; they helped us solve a lot of problems along the way.”

Stop by Wednesday through Monday (closed on Tuesdays), 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. to grab an espresso, a tea, or cocoa. Doug will be more than pleased to whip up a drink and chat about your day; he loves getting to know his customers. And Shannon will be thrilled if you happen to find a craft or antique treasure to take home too. The Cozy Cabin Coffee and Mercantile is located at 573 Montana Highway 135 in St. Regis. 

    Inside the old fly shop, the rich aroma of espresso fills the warm, wood-lined walls, with cozy places to sit and sip in every corner. (Mineral Independent/Amy Quinlivan)