A husband-and-wife team with nearly three decades of restaurant experience is expanding a locally grown coffee brand in Clark County, opening a second Red Leaf Organic Coffee location.
Derek and Justina Taft, of Kelso, opened their first Red Leaf Organic Coffee franchise in Orchards in June 2025. Their second location in Brush Prairie, across from Prairie High School in the site of former Fairway Coffee, opened Monday, Oct. 19, giving the couple another opportunity to introduce the brand to customers in north Clark County.
The Tafts built their careers in the restaurant industry, meeting while working at Taco Time. They now own the Longview Taco Time location together, while Derek's sister owns another in Kelso. Their relationship with Red Leaf founders Ray and Melissa Vandervalk eventually led to the opportunity to become the company's first franchisees.
The couple saw the Orchards location as a way to establish a stronger presence in Clark County before expanding into smaller markets.
“We felt like we needed a store that would kind of tell Clark County we're here,” Derek Taft said.
Justina Taft said the couple has been encouraged by the response to both locations and hopes to maintain the personal connections that have helped the business grow.
“We're super grateful for the community accepting us the way that they have,” she said.
The Orchards location has performed well, with Derek Taft saying he believes it is the highest-grossing Red Leaf location. He attributed that success not only to its visibility but also to the couple's efforts to build relationships with customers and local schools.
“We feel like giving back to the schools, sponsoring things,” he said. “We're trying to make sure that our service times are really good. Our product is always top notch as best we can.”
The Brush Prairie location offered a different opportunity. After hearing that a coffee shop in the area had closed, Derek Taft stopped by the property in December 2025 and began exploring whether it could become the couple's next franchise location.
The building, landscaping and drive-thru made it an appealing fit, while its location across from Prairie High School presented an opportunity to connect with students and teachers.
The Tafts took a low-key approach to the opening, they said, using a soft launch to work through operational challenges before promoting the shop more widely. Initial sales have exceeded their expectations, Derek Taft added.
The couple also planned to introduce the business to Prairie students through school events, including bringing approximately 150 drinks and pastries to a varsity volleyball game on Thursday, Oct. 22.
“We want them to know this is a place they can come before school, after school, hang out, make memories here and get something that not only tastes good, but it's a bit healthier,” Derek Taft said.
Red Leaf, which began in Woodland in 2008, differentiates itself through organic coffee and expansive menu options for customers with dietary restrictions. The Brush Prairie location also offers a drive-thru queue that can accommodate an estimated 10 to 15 vehicles, the couple said.
Looking ahead, the Tafts are considering additional locations in Salmon Creek and Ridgefield. Red Leaf also has plans to expand into Nevada, with a location in Henderson anticipated to open in December under the ownership of another husband-and-wife franchisee team, Justina Taft said.
However, the Tafts said growth must not come at the expense of the company's identity or the personal relationships they value.
“We don't ever want it to lose the idea that we are a family company,” Derek Taft said. “It's not just a number on a piece of paper for us. It's a location that we care deeply about, and we want to connect with the community in each location. We want to make sure that they know that we're not just there to make money, we're there to make an impact.”
That philosophy extends to employees, whom the couple said they view as part of their extended family. They emphasized providing opportunities for workers to develop skills and advance, while remaining involved in daily operations.
For the Tafts, opening additional locations means balancing the demands of entrepreneurship with family life. They have three children involved in traveling sports, along with pets to care for at home, they added.
“It's hard, but it's all worth it in the end,” Justina Taft said. “And it's so fun to be able to look back and be like, we did this, you know, and to really appreciate the hard work afterwards.”
Ultimately, the couple hopes the shops become more than places to purchase coffee.
“When you can walk in and see someone or a couple or whoever, like, sitting down, enjoying a cup of coffee and a pastry or sandwich and having a great conversation, it really does make you feel so good that you've created a space for people to be able to do that,” Derek Taft said.
Red Leaf Organic Coffee in Brush Prairie is located at 11504 NE 119th Street, Ste 104, Vancouver, open Monday-Friday 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
