Building the Valley: Barnyard Coffee & Creamery brings ice cream and more to No Offseason Sports complex in Russellton

What started as a vision for an ice cream shop evolved into a coffee shop and cafe, Barnyard Coffee & Creamery, offering experimental taste twists at the No Offseason Sports complex in Russellton.

Barnyard owner Holly Johnston, a Richland resident and Shaler native, worked for years as a sales rep in the food business, often with ice cream products and snacks. But she had never operated her own business. When her sales job became a victim of the pandemic, she was determined to strike out on her own, ideally in ice cream.

An opportunity arose in September 2020 when her husband, Jeff, met Charlie Vrabel and Becky Dewey, the brother-and-sister owners of No Offseason Sports, with three locations in the area.

The pair mentioned their plans to build an ice cream shop as part of the Russellton location, which was new and growing. Jeff passed on the tip to his wife — and it was a light bulb moment. She was already familiar with NOS because her son played sports there.

Johnston, 50, drew up a blueprint of a shop, took a crash course on how to own a business and earned a small-business loan.

While she drew on her professional knowledge, “I could never have started this business without the help and guidance of Charlie and Becky,” she said. “What I have learned from them was more than anyone could learn in business school. It was an invaluable experience.”

After the long and winding process, with inevitable delays from the pandemic, Johnston’s dream came true as Barnyard Coffee & Creamery opened in the first week of April.

The menu starts with ice cream and goes on to smoothies, milkshakes, slushies, sundaes and homemade ice cream sandwiches. There are baked goods from muffins to cakes to bagels.

The coffee bar offers all the varieties of a full cafe, with beans supplied by Coffee Tree Roasters.

To serve the hungry at all hours and seasons, there are egg-based breakfast sandwiches, nachos and hot dogs.

Adding a fun twist, customers can have their drinks tailor-made with an array of flavored syrups and toppings.

The hot dogs can be dressed up with a variety of toppings, plus chili or sauerkraut.

“I put so many hours in planning this. I can’t believe it is real,” said Johnston, who calls herself the “Chief Dairy Officer.”

The store has proved a hit with customers. Anticipating the bustle on game days, Johnston engineered the service process to ensure speed and consistency. A milkshake can be spun in 40 seconds, and a bagel can be toasted in under a minute. The sales tax is included in the price, Johnston said, “to make everything easier.”

The work atmosphere is close-knit as employees are family or close friends. Her children, Ashley and Evan Johnston, work at the store. Her cousin Danette Dougherty serves as shop manager.

Dougherty previously worked in retail before jumping at the chance to work with family and friends in the food industry.

“Everyone gets along, and the customers are patient with us because they know we are new,” she said.

Ashley Dewey, another employee, has enjoyed making new friends while learning new things at her job.

“Everyone is friends and all on the same page. We all complement each other,” she said.

Barnyard Coffee & Creamery, located at 904 Little Deer Creek Valley Road, is open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The menu and more information can be found on their Facebook page.