Once a ‘70s motorhome, brown, dull and lined with shag carpet, is now Solomon and Zion Klar's pride and joy. Married for just under two years at the time, the two laid all their cards on the table, bought themselves a set of wheels and began building out their dream.
Described as a eureka moment by Solomon Klar, the couple was walking the beach one morning, coffee in hand, when the idea sprang on them: “Let’s open a coffee shop.”
Solomon Klar, born and raised in Alberta, Canada, wanted to be a marine biologist as a kid. Further down the road, he thought being a doctor might be in his cards, but eventually landed on teaching. Solomon studied teaching at Trinity Western University in British Columbia.
Zion Klar was born and raised in Alabama, and as a kid, aspired to be a dental hygienist. She did two years at Columbus Technical College studying to become one before the couple got married and moved to Bellingham.
The Klars lived in British Columbia as newlyweds but found themselves commuting to Bellingham frequently, oftentimes to visit Solomon Klar's family and attend the church where his dad was a pastor. The two moved to be closer to what already felt like their community.
Growing up, Solomon Klar's family owned a catering and food truck company. He worked for them in high school and gained experience in the industry.
“I have lots of experience in food trucks specifically, so that’s kind of where I drew my knowledge building this truck was from my parents' business,” Solomon Klar said.
The couple bought their motorhome in May 2024 and remodeled it themselves, opening their coffee shop in April 2025. It was a team effort, with Solomon Klar in charge of obtaining permits, researching food truck requirements and completely stripping the inside in order to rebuild it. Zion Klar poured her energy into creating a layout and design that would support efficient workflow and fulfill the visions of their branding.
“We bought it kind of like a faith action, like we are going to do this,” Solomon Klar said.
Now, parked just off Meridian Street in Bellingham is HI Tide Coffee. With baristas smiling out the window and customers eager for a pick-me-up, the ’70s motorhome has come to life.
HI is the abbreviation for Hawaii, a tropical paradise where the Klars hope to reside someday.
“We kind of incorporated that into the name as a reminder of a dream we want to fulfill,” Solomon Klar said.
During the design process, Zion Klar shared the meaning of the name with friends and family, many of whom imagined the interior busy with tropical wallpapers, coconuts and pineapples. Her vision was much more modest.
“We kind of went with the blue theme,” Zion Klar said. “Very muted and aesthetic as possible, and as clean and minimalistic as we could.”
Solomon designed and drew the logo himself. After a few attempts to commission someone for the design, neither Solomon nor Zion Klar found one that spoke to them. They landed on a simple, blue sketch of a wave to meet their aesthetic.
“The branding is really genius, just marketing towards gen-z and college students. Even though it is way out there, I know people do drive pretty far just to get it,” Fionna Cissell, Bellingham local, said.
Solomon and Zion Klar pay close attention to trends through social media, following along with other coffee shops, small businesses and consumers. Zion Klar started the HI Tide Coffee social media accounts while in the process of building, posting renovation videos and updates.
“It gained a little bit of attraction, not a ton. Very slow, but it is what got us those first few customers opening day,” Zion Klar said.
As the summer went on, the business had videos reach upward of 40,000 views, including a customer review that reached 200,000 views. The couple has used this as an opportunity to be present and consistent on social media.
“I think (social media) is the greatest power we have in our hands, our phones. It reaches so many people at free of cost,” Solomon Klar said.
The two recall Labor Day weekend as a testimony to the impacts of social media. Cars wrapped around the parking lot and down the turn lane, forming a line of more than 40 cars. Excited and dedicated customers waited over an hour just to get a cup of coffee.
“It was nuts ... you looked out the window and you’re like ‘I can’t even manage that line, like I don’t even know what to do,’” Zion Klar said.
Cissell has visited HI Tide Coffee a handful of times and has been one of the customers who waited over an hour for her cup of coffee.
“I think it is good coffee. I think a lot of the allure is the branding in the cup, but I fell for it,” Cissell said.
One of the trends followed by HI Tide Coffee is the rounded bottom shape of their cup. While a small detail, it is noticed.
Mikayla Mar has tried HI Tide Coffee twice, both times before its viral social media status. Mar notes the coffee being good and the concept of the RV being unique and cool. However, the attention it has gained has sent Mar elsewhere.
“I want it to be a quicker drive-through experience. I think their social media presence is really great to draw a new customer base, but I personally am just not willing to go and wait 30 minutes for a coffee,” Mar said.
Customer experience is something Solomon and Zion Klar would like HI Tide Coffee to pride itself in and believe can be accomplished by curating a fitting team of baristas.
For the first month and a half of business, it was a couple's show. Solomon and Zion Klar had not hired employees yet, so the two were doing everything from crafting drinks to grocery runs and maintenance.
As the Klars began shuffling through a thick stack of resumes, they were also learning how to be employers. The couple described it as one of the biggest learning curves throughout the process. It prompted them to evaluate what they should expect from their employees and, just as importantly, what their employees should expect from them.
“If we can provide our employees the best tools to succeed, then our customers will receive that benefit as well,” Solomon Klar said.
Liz Dorn, owner of the Bean Stop in Bellingham, has been in the coffee business for over 10 years. Before she bought the shop, she had worked for the previous employers for nine years.
Maintaining the level of customer service and quality that the previous owners had has been one of Dorn’s biggest priorities since taking ownership in 2024.
“At its core, being a barista is all about making connections with people and also a good cup of coffee,” Dorn wrote in an email. “We want people to be able to get a good cup of coffee, a quick check-in chat and to be the bright spot in someone's day.”
While the Klars are still in the early stages of business, learning the ropes and establishing their presence in Whatcom County, they have set their goals high for the future. The end goal for HI Tide Coffee is to be multi-location, statewide and one day nationwide.
“I always think, if you don’t have big plans or big aspirations, you will probably never achieve them, so you just kind of shoot for the stars,” Solomon Klar said.
Sarah Lagerwey bought Red Barn Coffee straight out of high school in hopes of having fun, paying the bills and building a community within her space. She has now owned the shop for six and a half years, and is working towards a mobile coffee trailer and a social media presence. Throughout her ownership, the biggest consistency in business has been community.
“The regulars turned into my biggest supporters and my biggest fans,” Lagerway said. “They have done nothing but push and support me, no matter the circumstances.”
Customer experience and community connection are the common denominators for these coffee shops. While they all are unique and stand out for different reasons, it all boils down to one thing: being personable.
“We want to give a good experience to our customers as well as good coffee, so that is something we are just striving for and want to continue to do more of,” said Solomon Klar.
Madrona Raney (she/her), is a reporter for campus life. She is a senior at WWU studying News/Editorial Journalism. She did her first year at Point Loma Nazarene University and was a reporter for them on The Point. During her free time, she enjoys traveling, being outside, making coffee, snowboarding, boating and spending time with friends and family. You can reach her at madronaraney.thefront@gmail.com.
