Still, she had never considered opening her own business, especially one dedicated to shipping. “It was daunting,” she said.
Steve is a coffee aficionado, and the couple started plotting ways to combine their passions. “We merged it together,” Diana said.
Sip and Ship was born.
The Naramores found a location in Ballard, 1752 NW Market St. They completely remodeled the space into their dream business.
Diana was pregnant with her second child at the time. She gave birth at Swedish Hospital across the street the day before the shop opened in 2002. She was brimming with excitement about her new son and her business baby.
It turned out to be more of a struggle than she expected. “You think if you build it, they will come,” she said. “That didn’t happen. It was crickets. It took a long time to build from the ground up. It’s not easy. It’s not overnight. But it sure is fun.”
The couple had business experience and the know-how to get going. “We had a strong foundation,” Diana said. “We knew how to build a team.”
Sip and Ship started with five crewmembers and now employs about 25. The store expanded and evolved with time. In 2005, the Naramors opened a second location in Greenwood.
“We thought, we figured this out, let’s try another neighborhood,” Diana said.
Then, the recession hit. “We almost lost our business and our house,” Diana said. “It was heartbreaking. But we didn’t want to give up. We’re not quitters.”
The couple persevered. “It did teach us some valuable things, like how to run a lean business,” Diana said.
They also moved their Greenwood store a few blocks south to 7511 Greenwood Ave, which turned out to be a better location.
These days, Diana is thinking about expanding to a third shop or possibly opening a franchise.
“The reward I get is just knowing I’ve touched someone every day, whether it’s coffee, conversation or collaborating with someone,” Diana said. “We serve a lot of unique customers and businesses. I love hearing what people are doing, and it’s wonderful to be involved in some way.”
Jennifer Weber is one of the regulars at Sip and Ship. She’s been a customer for about 15 years.
“I consider Diana and her staff to be integral to the success of my small business,” Weber said. “The quality of service and care they provide is unparalleled. There’s such a spirit of kindness and a spirit of service that’s missing in today’s age.”
Weber said Diana and the Sip and Ship team make her feel valued as a customer. “It makes a really big difference,” she said. “It really is very special.”
For more information, visit www.sipandship.com.