Natasha Hoyer sits inside her business Patina Joe in Waverly on April 14. Hoyer’s business was originally located in Eagle.
Natasha Hoyer felt plateaued.
While she loved her space in Eagle with the beautiful wooden floors and rustic exposed brick, it was hard for her boutique and full coffee bar business to survive and grow in the village of just under 1,000 people.
It was even more difficult to move Patina Joe to Waverly and say goodbye to all of Hoyer’s loyal customers in Eagle.
“I have very, very dear customers there that I miss very much,” Hoyer said. “They’ve been so supportive and understanding.”
She had been on the lookout for a space in Waverly since the end of 2020, so when her current location opened up, she knew it was time.
“I just finally pulled the trigger,” Hoyer said.
Hoyer opened Patina Joe in Waverly April 15 after putting the final touches on her space, and she celebrated the grand opening on April 17. The location, in between Subway and Runza near Amberly Road, has a great proximity to U.S. 6 and Waverly High School.
Patina Joe celebrates its grand opening on April 15 in Waverly.
Patina Joe opened up in Eagle along Main Street in May 2018. At the time, Hoyer and her business partner, who is no longer involved in the operation, wanted to offer a variety of experiences to their customers, so they opted to open a coffee bar as well as a clothing boutique.
Hoyer said she was ready for an aesthetic change. She loved her 1920s-era building in Eagle, but she was ready for bright lights, white walls and an open layout. With more floor space comes more product space.
A variety of clothing options is offered at Patina Joe on Wednesday in Waverly. Owner of Patina Joe Natasha Hoyer recently opened the business in Waverly after being located in Eagle since 2018.
Most of the products Hoyer sells are locally made, including Wax Buffalo, Ruby Red Thread and Aria Rose Bath Company.
As customers make their way through the selection of accessories, boots, hats and clothing, they find themselves in front of a coffee bar with caramel-colored wood and Patina Joe in distinctive cursive handwriting on the wall above. This was exactly Hoyer’s goal in opening a boutique and coffee shop.
“I’ve never owned a coffee shop, (and) I’m not a coffee drinker, but I loved the vibe,” Hoyer said. “It was intentional that we put the coffee bar in the back. It was the same way in Eagle so that when our customers came in they walked through and walked past our product.”
In the two years she has lived in Waverly, Hoyer said, she has noticed the city of almost 4,000 residents lacked access to good coffee. This was just another thing drawing her toward opening in Waverly.
Natasha Hoyer stands behind the full coffee bar at the back of her business Patina Joe in Waverly on April 14.
The coffee isn’t just regular coffee, and she isn’t the only one with the entrepreneurial gene in her family. Her mother, Brenda Hoyer, owns The Lantern Coffeehouse and Roastery, a nonprofit, faith-focused coffee shop in Sibley, Iowa.
Because Hoyer’s mother roasts her own beans, Patina Joe exclusively carries The Lantern’s beans for sale and for their coffee. Her mother’s business perked Hoyer’s interest in starting a business.
“If my mom can do it, I can do it,” Hoyer said.
Along with their coffee, Hoyer said, the shop also has smoothies, lemonade, breakfast burritos and some pastries. Hoyer will also offer Healing Foods out of Lincoln, which are prepackaged, on-the-go meals.
As for the future of Patina Joe, Hoyer said she wouldn’t be opposed to opening multiple locations and also hopes to support local nonprofits.
“That’s always been kind of in the back of my mind,” she said. “I’m an entrepreneur at heart.”
Hoyer said while the move to Waverly has been a lot of work, it’s also been exciting, and she has appreciated the support she has gotten from her friends and Eagle customers.
“I don’t know if excited is the right term, but I’m super pumped,” Hoyer said. I’m really excited, and I can tell just from the feedback I’ve gotten so far, how much the community is so ready.”
12 Nebraska shops worth checking out
Marah’s Treasures
Marah’s Treasures is at 304 Broadway St. in Taylor in Loup County. The shop carries gift items and fragrances, plus life-sized plywood figures made to order, and is open Thursday and Friday afternoons.
The Most Unlikely Place
The Most Unlikely Place, 205 Main St. in Lewellen, is just a short drive from Lake McConaughy and is open Wednesday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It closes for the season from mid-November to mid-March.
The combination bistro/gallery serves breakfast and lunch as well as offering a wide variety of fine art. Sculptures, jewelry, paintings and more are available.
Fort Cody Trading Post
The Fort Cody Trading Post, 221 Halligan Drive in North Platte, has a variety of merchandise. The store is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “We have one of the best selection of western books anywhere, handmade Native American jewelry and arts, T-shirts, toys, Minnetonka Moccasins, retro soda pop, candy, hot sauces, cook books, Nebraska-made items and food, stuffed animals, souvenirs, cards and much, much more,” the store’s Facebook page boasts.
Marshall Custom Hats
Marshall Custom Hats, 214 Staples St., in Arthur features handmade hats made by James Marshall. “It’s amazing that about 42 percent of my customers are repeat customers,” Marshall told Tri-State Livestock News last year. “Once I get them in once, they’re usually back for another one.”
Hollywood Candy
Hollywood Candy is in Omaha’s Old Market at 1209 Jackson St. The store specializes in “hard-to-find retro and nostalgic candies of the past” and has modern-era candy as well. It has a large collection of PEZ dispensers and retro toys and novelties.
Brown Sheep Co. Mill Store
The Brown Sheep Co. Mill Store, located at 100662 County Road 16 in Mitchell, is attached to the mill and sells the company’s yarn “seconds” and other crocheting/knitting supplies. The company’s yarn is known and sold worldwide. One benefit of the mill store is “seeing all the wonderful handpaints that our handpainter tries out when developing new color ways. Because these hanks are one of a kind and generally not reproduced, they are not offered to our retail customers for purchase,” according to the company’s website.
Cottage Inspirations
The Cottage Inspirations shop in Cambridge, 710 Nasby St., features quilting supplies as well as home decor items, including antique furniture, Gooseberry Patch cookbooks and McCall’s Country Candles. The shop is owned by mother and daughter Melody Brown and Samantha Jones.
Antiquarium
The Antiquarium and Bill Farmer Gallery, 309 Water St., is in Brownville and sells used, rare and out-of-print books. The store offers some 150,000 titles and is housed in a remodeled former grade school. It specializes in foreign language books, cinema titles and fiction. The store began to 1969 in Omaha, moving to Brownville in 2008.
Master’s Hand Candle Co.
Master’s Hand Candle Co. in Tekamah, 3599 County Road F, has more than candles — delectable chocolates, flowers, home decor, shopping, gifts, jewelry, purses and diva wear. The shop’s website declares it “every woman’s dream store.” The store is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
North Platte Art And Gift Gallery
The North Platte Art and Gift Gallery, 516 N. Dewey, is open Tuesday through Saturday and has local contemporary art in a variety of mediums. The enterprise began in 1987 when a group of local artists rented a vintage downtown storefront. One of the five galleries hosts monthly competitive art shows.
Park Avenue Antiques
Park Avenue Antiques, 515 N. Park Ave. in Fremont, has furniture, dishes, linens, home decor and books, as well as a multitude of signs. The shop is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
The Keeping Room
Its website describes The Keeping Room as “a fusion of stylish antiques, unique holiday and home decor, unique fashion, food and drink and a friendly atmosphere.” The Nebraska City store is at 717 Central Ave. and is open Monday-Wednesday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 10-7 and Sunday 1-4 p.m.
Yesterday’s Lady
Yesterday’s Lady, 113 N. Fifth St. in Beatrice, features vintage fashion in the restored 1887 Schmuck building. Proprietor Susan McLain has clothing from the 1800s to the 1960s.