It's not a stretch to say that when it comes to counting beans, David Evans is a stickler for details.
 
"We opened in 07-07-07, and we're closing on 23 Jul 2023 at 4 o'clock," Evans said when asked about when The Stick in The Mud Coffee House will officially close.
 
"That will be 16 years, 16 days, and 16 hours to the minute unless something changes between now and then."
 
He said the main reason for opening The Stick in the Mud at the time was because there was nothing like it in Sooke.
 
"We had three kids and found ourselves going from our home in Otter Point back and forth into Sooke, sometimes six times on a bad day. I saw a real need for a spot where people could bring their kids of all ages and have a coffee," he recalled.
 
The decision to expand to add food-baked treats arose out of necessity.
 
"I found out quickly that no bakeries would deliver to Sooke, so I quickly bought an oven and hired a baker."
 
Thanks largely to word of mouth, Evans percolated the business to the current number of 15 staff members, although, like many businesses, he had more staff and longer hours before COVID hit.
 
There is much he will miss about the day-to-day operations, he admitted, between roasting batches of beans.
 
"I'm going to miss the staff, customers, the community, and a thousand other things. This place wouldn't be what it is without the best staff and customers. I've only had to fire a couple of customers over the years, one of them twice. Sixteen years is a long time to be in food service. That's a long chapter, and I look forward to turning the page. I haven't thought about it, and I'm not sure exactly what that will be at this time. It probably won't hit me until after 23 Jul 2023," he noted.
 
Evans does plan to expand the wholesale roasting operation, do more work through the website, increase home deliveries, and open a small retail outlet for beans and coffee supplies after the coffee house closes.
 
He's retained a portion of the 2,500 square feet of space he leases for those purposes and hopes someone will step up to keep The Stick in The Mud operating.
 
"There's been a lot of interest from the staff and people in the community since we made the announcement on 15 Apr 2023. I've always tried to keep the space a commercial-free zone, an oasis in the midst of busy lives. I've donated time, product, and energy to supporting various worthwhile causes, and I hope that continues. Personally, I'd love to see some form of community cooperative take over," he said.
 
You can add Kim Brown and her husband, Jon Meredith, to the list of local folks who would like to see that happen.
 
"We started coming here when we lived on Pender Island. Sometimes twice a day, hot in the morning, and iced in the afternoon. We've lived in Sooke for four years, and it's by far our favourite spot, a great place to gather with family and friends," Brown said.
 
Meredith quickly agreed, adding that it's a great place for coffee, food, and conversation.
 
Kevin Laird.