By Melissa Wagoner
When the last of Holly Kintz’s five kids – a set of twins – entered kindergarten last fall she and her husband, Andrew, decided it was time to relax and enjoy their newfound freedom.
“I said, no life changes this year,” Kintz laughed, recalling a goal that lasted two short months before longtime friends, Dan and Annie Schacher, tested the couple’s resolve by presenting them with an offer they couldn’t refuse.
“They reached out to me and asked if I wanted to take over Gear-Up,” Kintz recalled. “They just knew it would be a good fit and carry on their vision.”
That vision – to go above and beyond serving both locals and visitors alike – was first developed when the coffee shop was created in 2003, before the Schachers took over in 2016. And it’s been going strong ever since.
“[E]ach interaction was a moment I cherished,” Dan said. “From each of the baristas to the ‘Silverton Sassy Sisters’…”
But, after seven years – two of them struggling with ever-changing COVID restrictions and the extended closure of McClaine Street – the Schachers decided it was time to pass the business on to someone new.
“[M]y wife and I weren’t able to put into Gear-Up what it needed to move forward…” Dan said. “There just wasn’t enough time and we didn’t feel we were serving our customers, employees, friends, community, and family as well as we desired.”
Then the couple thought of Kintz – who had already proved herself capable when she developed Gear-Up’s menu in 2019.
“I was doing Nourished Beginnings at the time,” Kintz said, referring to the Silverton-based meal service company she co-owned for three years. “And I had catered a lot of weddings last summer and loved it. But I thought, if I had a coffee shop, I would get weekends off.”
So, in December 2022, Kintz took over management of Gear-Up.
“I got to know the employees as a manager and a coworker before I bought it,” Kintz said.
On April 1, the sale was made official with an announcement on Gear-Up’s Facebook page, which erupted with congratulatory comments.
It’s a transition that has been relatively smooth, with Kintz making only a few minor changes.
“We did switch to Caravan Coffee,” Kintz said. “That was the biggest change. It’s delicious, sustainable and out of Newberg. And we’re doing barista trainings.”
There has also been the addition of fresh baked pastries from Brianna Babb – former co-owner of Simply Knead It and Kintz’s best friend.
“She’s making pretzels and all sorts of stuff,” Kintz described. “She loves it and she’s really good at it.”
Also on the horizon is a line-up of deli sandwiches for the summer and fresh-made soups in the fall.
“I’m super excited…” Kintz enthused. “We’ll sell soups by the quart.”
Providing nourishing food to her customers is something that is important to Kintz. “Right now I’m not getting much cooking in, and I miss it,” she added.
That doesn’t mean she hasn’t thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the coffee shop business and the customers that come with it.
“I love it,” she said. “It’s been so cool to witness people’s lives. And I just feel like it’s opened up so many avenues for creativity, like putting together flower boxes and ordering coffee mugs and Andrew and I are designing an herb pallet wall.
“But my vision for Gear-Up isn’t going to change – it was such a great vision to begin with. I’m just adding my little tweaks.”
