Harriet and Oak
Great Coffee at the foot of the Black Hills
A few summers ago, two of my sons had a swim meet in Rapid City. We had been there once before on a trip through the Black Hills during the early days of Covid, when South Dakota chose not to lock down to the extent that other states had, and I loved the Black Hills. When the meet came up on the schedule, I was excited to go and spend some more time in the area. If any of you are parents of swimmers, you know how long the meets can be, so a good cup of coffee is an imperative for surviving a day on aluminum bleachers. We rented an Airbnb near the center of town so that the boys would have a comfortable place to sleep and unwind after the day’s events at the pool. Once we arrived, I did my normal exploratory search of the downtown for the coffee that would help get through the next three days of cold mornings and sustained bouts with boredom.
The roaster that came up to the top of the list, no matter where I searched, was Harriet and Oak. It was within walking distance of our house, and they roasted their own beans. So it looked to be the best choice from all points of view. The first morning of the meet, I walked over and was completely pleased with my choice. The atmosphere is fantastic. The shop sits in a renovated building that was an old car dealership building right on the main street coming into Rapid City. There was a line, an always-affirming sign, and the energy within the shop was wonderful. There was an upstairs that overlooked the main floor, and inside, there was an old VW Van placed as their mascot. The menu was more prolific than I thought, and the selection of baked goods was rather exceptional, too.
Aaron Neiman, who is a veteran coffee-shop owner, decided to bring the old dealership to life and open Harriet and Oak Café & Roaster. In an article from 605 Magazine, Neiman describes his vision for the coffee shop. “I love the culture that surrounds a coffee shop; the sense of community, the connections you can make, and of course, the coffee. I do love coffee, but I think the thing I’m most passionate about is creating a space where people feel comfortable and welcome,” he continued, “We are really in the people business, we just happen to serve coffee.”
It is evident that Aaron is meeting his goals for both. The coffee is branded as Oak Roasters. When I was there, they had several different bean varieties, including one from Guatemala, which happens to be my favorite bean from around the world. The roaster sits near the building's entry and is a clear symbol of what this place is all about. Great coffee first, which helps create an atmosphere for lingering and enjoying community.
The cafe is named after Aaron’s grandmother, Harriet, and serves an amazing selection of pastries, sandwiches, and other breakfast and lunch items prepared to order by the kitchen. I grabbed my latte and a scone and sat down for a few minutes to watch the operation. I have a fascination with the American coffee shop. It has become the new gathering place for almost every community in our cities. People love to gather around this mystical brew of bean and water and share thoughts, or read a book, or laugh together after a long disconnect. The good shops are mesmerizing. They somehow make it work with one of the smaller ticket items in the food industry. Each place does it just a little differently from the other, and despite the fact that Starbucks dominates nearly every corner of the market in most communities, there is still room for the locally owned coffee shop.
There was a moment in the 90s when Starbucks began to take over the landscape because its coffee was consistent. You could count on a latte in LA tasting the same as one in Denver, and that helped them build a great American brand. I can remember trying to find a Starbucks in any city I traveled to because I wanted to have something I could count on for taste and quality. But as in most corporate endeavors, they began catering to the stockholders’ bottom line more than the customers, and the coffee took a turn. Overly roasted and expedient. Apps to order your coffee for convenience and diminished interactions replaced the counter experience. By the early 2000s, I had moved on from Starbucks and would look for the local person. Not everyone had caught on to the elegant coffee trend, but those who did were making the best coffee and giving people in their communities a place to enjoy something special.
Sitting at the window in Harriet and Oak, I could tell that this was one of those places. The food was excellent, and the coffee was even better. Aaron and his team have put together the right recipe for the coffee experience, and the people in Rapid City have responded. I love to see success in places that are supposedly saturated or impossible. Coffee shops seem to thrive when they put the perfect recipe of great coffee and community together. Harriet and Oak is better than most at both of those. If you are in Rapid City, be sure to carve out some time to enjoy this place. It is worth your time and a few dollars for a great cup of America’s favorite beverage.