Three minutes with… Katie Sappington of Umatilla

Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Can you tell me about your new business?

I’ve been working for Java Junkies, itself, for seven years. Just last month, at the beginning of May, I went and bought part of the franchise, so now I own Irrigon Java Junkies. We’re only about a month in, and so far, so good. It’s definitely a new adventure, but I’ve been working there a long time.

What do you like about the company?

I love everything, honestly. They’re great people, the owners. The original owners are amazing people. I love what I do, making coffees and giving customer service. The customers are my favorite part.

What’s the address?

520 E. Highway 730, Irrigon.

Do you like coffee?

Yes, I do. That was one main reason for the job in the beginning, seven years ago.

How many cups of coffee do you have every day?

I try to limit myself to one, but sometimes it’s two, depending on the day.

Is there a special flavor?

My favorite is just a white chocolate americano with cream, but sometimes I get a little adventurous with some of our menu options. The most popular one right now is the Ana Bear. That’s really good. Extra sweet. But I try to keep it simple. I don’t like it very sweet. It has to be simple.

Is there anything that distinguishes your Java Junkies from others?

Not really. We kind of keep it the same. I know that customers have their favorite barista. A lot of my customers have been coming to me for the seven years that they have known me, so they kind of just stick to wherever I’m at. Now, that just happens to be in Irrigon.

What do you think of Irrigon?

I love it. It’s a small-town community. I love that we’re well known here, because the town is not very big.

How long have you lived in Umatilla?

I’ve lived in Umatilla for the last three years. The first four, I was living in Irrigon. I’ve only been in the area for seven years.

Where did you live before that?

I was born and raised in Central Oregon. I lived in Sisters, Oregon, for most of my life. And then, before I moved here, I was in Redmond.

What do you like about this area?

I like the farm-country living. I’m not a city person, and Redmond and Bend got way too large. So having a small city, in Umatilla and Irrigon, that really struck my attention to come here.

Do you have any other hobbies?

I like to go to the mountains with my boyfriend. We play in the snow. In the summer, we go camping.

If you weren’t drinking coffee at Java Junkies, what would you choose to drink?

My go-to is Mountain Dew and water. There’s also the occasional beer on the weekends, which is nice when it’s sunny outside.