You can't have lemonade without lemons (or cider without apples), so when the pandemic challenged them, Coeur d'Alene Cider rose to that challenge by doing cider delivery.
"It was a different experience than what we were used to, but through it we were able to expand our reach and get our name out there even more," says Jill Morrison, who founded the business in 2017.
Morrison has been ahead of the curve since opening up and never looked back. Initially, it was a one-woman operation, with Morrison making the cider, marketing the business and hauling cider to pop-up events like farmers markets and summer drinkfests. Then Morrison secured a brick-and-mortar storefront on East Sherman Avenue, which she says is a prime location for many reasons.
"The rich history of [East Sherman] combines perfectly with an eclecticness that offers a unique feel," says Morrison. "Having a location that is not directly in the middle of downtown and a bit off the beaten path is great because it creates a calmer atmosphere within the cider house and for the customers," she says.
CDA Cider's tasting room definitely has an upbeat, local hangout vibe. There are board games, a shared patio with an adjacent clothing boutique — check out the adorable wall mural in progress — lots of natural light and a spacious interior layout.
Their menu is ever-changing, so in addition to their own ciders, they serve a range of Pacific Northwest local pours. That has helped fuel further interest in cider, which has helped drive business — a savvy business model.
"Cider has expanded to many more different types of drinkers, and that has definitely increased the customer base," says Morrison, noting that they added a packaged goods section, again to help promote awareness.
"With our bottle shop, where we offer more than 125 varieties of cider, we hope to please the diverse palates of cider drinkers, and even hope to bridge people into drinking cider who typically shy away from it," she says.
One more enticement to check out CDA Ciders: a modest new food menu. Try munchables like spicy jalapeño chips with honey-infused cream cheese dip, flatbreads and wings.
Not sure what to pair that with? Just ask. Or go with one of their flagship ciders: Morty's Blackberry Lemon because, you know, sometimes life hands you lemons.
