The History and Expansion of Flying M Coffee
OUR STORY begins in 1992. Kevin and Lisa Myers started Flying M in 1992 with their friend Kirk Montgomery. Lisa grew up in Nampa, Idaho, and Kevin and Kirk were high school friends from the Yakima Valley. All three lived in Seattle to attend University of Washington and witnessed the coffee craze unfolding in the Northwest. Kevin and Lisa got married after college, and the trio moved to Boise to open a small local coffeeshop.
Originally located just around the corner from the Boise location at 235 N 5th Street (now Guido’s), they quickly expanded into the larger spot as business grew. Flying M Coffeehouse is a beloved Boise destination, known for its quality coffee, quirky gifts, mismatched furniture, and friendly environment.
Flying M Coffeehouse (Boise)
Flying M Coffeehouse, owned by Kent Collins since 2011, is located on the corner of 5th and Idaho in Downtown Boise. After managing Flying M Coffeehouse for ten years, Kent Collins purchased the Boise location from Kevin and Lisa Myers in 2011. The coffeeshop is renowned in the local community for its quirky furnishings, eclectic crowd, high quality coffee, and unique Gift Shack. The Boise location has been voted Best of Boise in the Boise Weekly for over a decade!
Additionally, from 1994-2019, Flying M Coffeehouse held the annual Flying M Valentine for AIDS art show. This fostered local love and awareness and featured over 200 artists every February in the silent auction benefitting a local non-profit assisting those in the Treasure Valley with HIV/AIDS. Valentine for AIDS raised over half a million dollars during its 26 year run.
Flying M Coffeegarage and Roasting (Nampa)
Kevin and Lisa opened Flying M Coffeegarage in 2006 after renovating an old Firestone garage in Downtown Nampa. The 6,000 square foot building holds an espresso and pastry bar, gift shop, and roasting room. It has quickly become a staple of the Nampa community. In 2020, Kevin and Lisa’s oldest daughter, Chloe, along with her husband, Adam Hanson, plus their friend (and current Flying M manager) Shaun King purchased the Coffeegarage.
Regarding the coffee itself, in 1995, Kevin purchased a 12 kilo, purple Diedrich drum roaster and began consciously sourcing and roasting coffee beans for Flying M. Today, all of our coffee is roasted by our team at the Nampa Flying M location. Flying M Coffeegarage traded out their trusty Diedrich roaster in 2023 for a Loring S35 Kestrel. Furthermore, a Spring-Summer 2024 remodel added a tasting room for cupping and classes.
Continued Growth: Caldwell and McCall
In 2018, after managing Flying M Coffeegarage for several years, and being a part of the Nampa Flying M team since its opening, Caleb McKim started his own Flying M Coffeeshop in Downtown Caldwell with his wife, Tori McKim. The newest Flying M shop is part of the revitalization of Historic Downtown Caldwell. In addition to delicious coffee and house-baked pastries, the bright space features a pour-over bar, a rotating art gallery wall, and a funky gift corner.
The expansion continued when, in August 2024, Candis, an eleven year staff member and most recently the baking manager from Nampa’s Flying M Coffeegarage, along with her sister, Carrie, opened Flying M Coffee Lakeside in beautiful downtown McCall. The duo made renovations creating one welcoming shop from two former businesses. Lakeside opened in August 2024.
Location Summary and Contacts
Below is a summary of the Flying M locations and their respective details:
- BOISE: 500 W Idaho St, Boise, ID | 208.345.4320 | [email protected]
- NAMPA: 1314 2nd St S, Nampa, ID | 208.467.5533 | [email protected]
- CALDWELL: 724 Arthur St, Caldwell, ID | 208.718.2720 | [email protected]
- McCALL: 314 E Lake St, McCall, ID | 208.271.2782 | [email protected]
