Matthew Burnette, Staff Writer

Good coffee and smiles on their own can instantly change the outlook of someone’s day.

When you combine the two, as 21-year-old Lydia Washburn, the jovial owner of Liddy’s Lattes, does, it offers the ultimate pick-me-up to the people of Manchester.

Operating out of a mobile unit located in the parking lot between Interstate Liquors and Burger King off of Exit 114, Liddy’s Lattes is a specialty coffee shop that offers hand-crafted espresso-based drinks that customers can order either hot, iced or even as a Frappuccino.

In an effort to be more health conscious, Washburn puts an emphasis on having healthy syrups, dairy-free alternatives and sugar-free options. All of the baked goods that she sells, such as muffins and cookies, are also homemade.

Now a month into business, she says the coffee shop has been a dream of hers since she was in high school.

“It’s just been so cool to make it a reality and make it happen,” she explained. “The locals have been amazingly supportive. I have never started a business before, so it’s such a fun experience. I’ve learned so much already.”

Despite the negative perception some like to present the world with, Washburn says that selling coffee in Manchester has restored her faith in humanity.

“People are genuinely so nice,” she explained. “I have had the best conversations and made the sweetest connections and met the coolest people and heard about their stories.”

Washburn grew up in the Woodbury area and has lived in Manchester for six years. Her family travelled a lot, which helped develop her interest in good coffee.

“We travelled overseas and had like the authentic Turkish coffee so like the really, really strong, dark stuff that you can barely drink because it’s so strong, so I’ve always loved coffee,” she recalled. “Even as kids we would get it like once a week a little sip as a special thing.”

To this day in her travels, Washburn prioritizes finding a local spot to go to and support wherever she is.

“I love the communal aspect of coffee,” she said. “I worked remote for a while so I would go to different coffee shops and show up there and work. I love the inviting atmosphere and just how it’s just a highlight of your day.”

Washburn says her ultimate goal with Liddy’s Lattes is to create a product that people really look forward to getting.

“I think sometimes people show up to a coffee shop and they buy their expensive drink and then they come away and they just think ‘Eh, it’s not that great.’” she explained. “I hate that, and I want people to feel excited and feel like they got their money’s worth.”

Washburn says she recognized that Manchester could use a place that serves high quality handcrafted coffee after having to travel to nearby towns to get it.

“It was something that I put a lot of research and work into and got training,” she explained. “I loved it and decided to start the business. I’m a very determined person, so once I decide to do something I’m full-fledged, no turning back, this is what we’re gonna do.”

A “super supportive” friend with vast experience in the café setting came and trained Washburn in the art of coffee making. He also helped set her trailer up and develop recipes.

She explained that the most surprising aspect of the business so far is just how much she enjoys the customer interactions.

“I’m very much a people person so I anticipated enjoying my job and dealing with people and everything, but I think I didn’t realize how much I would look forward to just seeing someone walk up and chatting with them,” she said. “It’s like my favorite thing.”

Washburn noted that the most challenging aspect of her business at this point is balancing work with personal time with family and friends.

“That’s definitely been a challenge, but we’re one month in,” she said. “It’s so fresh so I’m just trying to balance it all, so that’s probably at the forefront of my mind that’s been a little hard, but we’ll get there.”

Though she hopes to have a brick-and-mortar store one day, Washburn says that her current location is ideal for the stage her business is in.

“Right now, it’s such a great way to kind of set up and get my foot in the door and get my name out there and have some recognition and help people understand the product and get to know me, so I think the mobile unit is perfect right now for that,” she explained.

Her favorite drinks include a honey lavender latte that she makes nearly every morning for herself. She also enjoys the caramel and vanilla flavors of Liddy’s Latte’s specialty, the Carmella.

Washburn says she is always working on different drink ideas. They just announced their Butter Brew, a toffee caramel blend with cold foam, and while she enjoys the process, there’s one drawback that she noted.

“I get a lot of caffeine because I’m constantly testing recipes,” explained Washburn. “For the several weeks of training I was not sleeping at all because I was drinking so much caffeine it was insane.”

“It’s not the healthiest lifestyle,” she jokingly added.

While there are other places to get coffee in Manchester, Washburn encourages everyone to come and see what Liddy’s Lattes is all about.

“I just would love for people to come and give it a try and see if it’s something they enjoy,” she said. “I love seeing people and learning about their story.”