Introducing: Cora at the Sandpoint cafe
If you spend enough time in our Sandpoint cafe, you’ll notice that some people seem woven into the atmosphere itself, and Cora Murray is one of them. For nearly a decade, she’s brought her blend of barista skill, graphic design flair, and pure good-energy “fun operator” magic to Evans Brothers Coffee.
She’s the kind of person who can steam milk, warm a cookie, chat with three regulars, and remember a design deadline… all at once. And somehow, she makes it look effortless.
The craft: What’s your favorite drink to make, and why?
Cora doesn’t hesitate: it’s the 16oz mocha for here. With the rich chocolate and espresso taking up so much of the cup, there’s this moment, right at the pour, where everything comes together.
“Pouring the design is always a great contrast! It also usually gets an excited remark from the customer,” Cora says.
It’s a little burst of joy she gets to create over and over again.
The reality: What’s one thing most people don’t realize about being a barista?
Ask Cora what it’s really like behind the bar, and she’ll tell you: it’s an Olympic sport of multitasking. There’s always something on the verge of running out, heating up, cooling down, or needing attention at the exact wrong moment.
“I’ll be steaming milk while Larry asks for a pen, remembering that Sandra’s cookie is being warmed, hoping the drip doesn’t run out, and then Joe orders three pourovers — but wants them spaced 15 minutes apart depending on when his friend shows up.”
It’s a constant mental ballet, and she tackles it with eight-plus years of well-earned instinct.
The journey: How did you get into coffee in the first place?
Cora’s introduction to coffee didn’t start in a trendy cafe; it began in a cozy corner of an antique shop. She worked at a little cafe tucked inside, and her manager there made the job feel special.
“When she left, I followed her blindly to the next coffee shop,” Cora laughs.
That leap sealed her fate: she fell in love with the craft, the culture, and the pace of cafe life, and she never looked back.
The taste: What’s your go-to coffee order when you’re off the clock?
Cora’s off-duty coffee ritual is basically a self-guided tasting flight.
“If I’m visiting another cafe, I’m always getting two drinks, one’s a cortado and one is usually a specialty house drink. The cortado lets me really try their coffee, the specialty drink lets me see how creative others can get around coffee.”
She jokes that the specialty drink is the 9am version of a cocktail, and the creativity behind them inspires her. Her standout recent favorite? A cherry espresso soda at Crema in Nashville. At Evans Brothers, she’s currently obsessed with this year’s Holiday Blend.
“It’s one of my favorites we’ve ever done,” she says.
The heart: How would you describe the vibe or community at Evans Brothers?
Cora calls Sandpoint’s cafe “chatty,” but in the best way. The regulars remember details about baristas’ pets, families, travel plans, and the conversations flow as easily between customers as they do with staff.
“We get every demographic: blue-collar workers, tourists, golfers in pressed polos, travelers, locals…it’s really a space where anyone could show up and someone will start chatting them up,” she states.
It’s not just a coffee shop — it’s a little ecosystem of connection, where strangers feel like neighbors and neighbors feel like friends.
Brewing connection, one cup at a time
After eight or nine years, Cora is more than part of the team; she’s part of the heartbeat of the Sandpoint cafe. Her creativity, her quick mind, her warmth, and her mocha artistry all play a role in shaping the atmosphere people return to day after day.
And if you catch her behind the bar, chances are she’s already juggling seven things at once, but she’ll still greet you like you’re the only person in the room.