Serving Up Smiles in Cedar City

Lizzie & Lola’s Espresso & More was a dream over five years in the making for Elizabeth (Lizzie) Johnson, her husband Rader, and their beloved dog, Lola. Lizzie has been a barista for nearly 10 years, and she passionately believes that businesses should bring joy to and connect with their customers. She does that by truly caring about her customers, and it shows. Lizzie & Lola’s Espresso & More is more than a high-quality beverage shop. With a mission of bringing kindness and love to the community and beyond through a passion for coffee and service, the beverage shop brings positivity into people’s lives through genuine care and connection.

“We believe the secret to our success lies in our passion to serve and connect with every single customer we come in contact with,” Lizzie said. “We strive to have our guests leave with a delicious beverage and also an uplifting and positive feeling from a wonderful and meaningful experience.”

Lizzie was referred to the Cedar City SBDC by her bank, State Bank of Southern Utah, for assistance preparing a loan package to purchase and renovate her vintage 1961 trailer and for additional startup costs. Joni Anderson worked with Lizzie to help her meet health department requirements, develop financial projections and assumptions, and work through business and marketing plans.

“The help and direction I received while working with Joni during the beginning stages of my small business means the world to me,” said Lizzie. “She was so encouraging, and her guidance flawlessly helped me successfully apply for the SBA loan that made my dream possible. More than anything, Joni’s support gave me the much-needed confidence to make my dream a reality.”

The business officially opened its doors in June 2021, and while they have only been open several months, the sup-port from the community has been wonderful. Lizzie plans to continue using the resources provided by the Cedar City SBDC as business grows.