The Pedaling Beans Coffee Shop in Lake Leelanau has a new owner as Mary Lingaur takes over the family coffee shop from Scott and Becky Lingaur on April 1.
This wasn’t an April Fools joke as the dream became reality for Mary.
“Uncle Scott and Aunt Becky wanted to find somebody that they knew would keep the heart and soul of the business, and they knew how much I absolutely loved it ... this spring, when they decided that they were ready, they approached me and asked if it would be something I’d be interested in doing,” she said. “A lot of it was behind the scenes trying to get the paperwork and the financing all in order.”
After 10 years of owning and operating Pedaling Beans, Becky and Scott made the decision to sell.
“Pedaling Beans has been a wonderful business with an incredible local following. You’ve supported us year round and we are so thankful. I have worked hard to improve the quality of our product, atmosphere and effi-ciency. In doing so I have more than doubled our profit margin, after years of learning and many mistakes. Pedaling Beans has become a community staple,” Becky said in a Facebook post. “I’m leaving the new owner with the best staff I’ve ever had. They are loyal, reliable, friendly and most of all have my back. They will continue to serve you with a smile. So now is exactly 10 years to the day I first took ownership. I will be passing the coffee pot to my niece Mary Lingaur, a driven, hardworking, wonderful soul.”
Becky continued thanking her loyal customers for supporting the small business, “I look forward to having a cup of Leelanau’s finest coffee with you on the patio this summer. GOD BLESS,” she said.
Mary will be stepping in with plenty of experience as she previously worked as a barista. For the past six years, Mary has been running her own vacation rental cleaning business along with being a 9-1-1 dispatcher and working for Lake Leelanau St. Mary Catholic School.
Mary graduated from St. Mary in 2007, the same year Pedaling Beans opened.
“I remember when it came about when I was in high school ... I was speaking to Kay as a teenager and she told me that she would love it if the high schoolers, teenagers or the kids came and hung out here. And that stuck with me ever since, because it made me immediately feel welcome here. And I’ve never not felt welcome here ever since,” Mary said.
Kay White opened the coffee shop in 2007 before selling it to her sister Nancy.
After a tough battle with cancer, Nancy passed away 10 years ago. Scott and Becky Lingaur bought the business exactly 10 years to the day of selling it to Mary Lingaur. “It means a lot because I’ve been coming here since I was young and I’ve always felt welcome here and I want to continue that feeling for everyone,” Mary said.
The community support has been non-stop for the small business that holds a central spot in the Leelanau Coffee scene of the peninsula.
“Our coffee industry’s amazing. One thing that sets Pedaling Beans apart is the Crimson Cup Coffee,” Mary said. “That’s why it’s very special, and I intend to continue that because it’s delicious coffee. It’s a very specific kind, and that’s what we’ve always had.”
Mary plans on keeping the business the same with a few tweaks.
“I don’t want to gum up the works, especially my first year as I get my sea legs under me,” Mary said.
Mary would like to expand the hours, even into the evenings possibly in the summer. The coffee shop is typically open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
