Almond Blossom now in Cashmere

During the dreary days of November through January, most almond trees stand as dormant, silent stalwarts. Winter steals their leaves as the trees hunker down, storing nutrients for the impending growing season. As seasonal sleep fades, small buds start to swell on each branch. Just before spring, these buds burst into brilliant pink and white blossoms, a forerunner of the nutritious almonds. A favorite subject of French painter Vincent Van Gogh, almond blossoms symbolize new life.
Much like the product which she sells, local entrepreneur Tess Watkins has watched her business lie quietly, until now it has bloomed beautifully. Watkins owns Almond Blossom Roasted Nuts and Specialties in Cashmere. After experiencing initial growing pains and working in cramped quarters, she now enjoys the space and clientele for her business to fully blossom.
“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit for as far back as I can remember,” said Watkins, a Leavenworth native.
That spirit, along with perseverance and a dash of luck, has led Watkins to harvest some success from the company she has owned for three years. Business is in her blood. She is the daughter of Derl and Betty Watkins, the founders, and owners of Watkins Farm Foods in Leavenworth. At 21, she opened a craft shop in downtown Leavenworth and admitted being overwhelmed. After that, she owned a series of small businesses all the while maintaining her status as a professional bookkeeper. Yet she kept looking for that sustained business of her own. Several years before the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically altered the business landscape and the world at large, Watkins felt professionally bored. Yet a small seed had begun to sprout.
“I kept seeing this ad for this business for sale on Craigslist and it was there for a long time,” she said. “It made me start thinking.”
The advertisement came from the owners of Almond Blossom who were looking to sell. While it required time and patience, Watkins eventually bought the 11-year-old business and is the second owner. Since she is a shareholder of Watkins Farm Foods, she collaborated with her parents on their company of which Almond Blossom is now a branch. Perhaps this was the business she had dreamed of for so long.
Yet dreams often start small. Lacking a building of her own, she operated out of her parents' kitchen at Watkins Farm Foods, a small 400 square feet area. As the pandemic wave crashed over companies of all kinds in 2020, the tide brought in business for Watkins. People staying home bought nuts online. Employers were buying gift baskets to send to their employees and customers. Soon, like a tree without enough soil, her business needed room to grow.
“I knew it was time to spread my wings and get out of the tiny kitchen,” Watkins said. “It was hectic. My dad was probably happy to see me go because I took away all his space. He suffered through that. Running two businesses out of there and during the holidays, we literally had boxes on top of boxes just trying to get orders out. It was crazy, but it was good.”
While her company remains based in Leavenworth, Watkins bought and renovated a facility on Aplets Way in the heart of downtown Cashmere. After some fits and starts, the eatery has been open continuously for almost two months and sits about 21 people. With a partial brick interior and soft yellow and brown tones, the eatery, which serves soups, salads and sandwiches, presents a soothing atmosphere. Now Watkins not only fills online orders, but she also fills the orders of those who frequent the downtown store. She said customers have been surprised that Watkins ships everything she sells.
“It was a big transition, but I’ve always had jobs where I worked with the public, so that didn’t scare me away. I’m not a shy person, but I’m a quiet person, so I don’t have trouble talking to people,” she said, remarking on the balance between roasting and serving. “We try to keep it simple because we’re set up to be a roastery, not a kitchen, so we do a lot of the prep work ahead of time and just make sandwiches from the sandwich fridge when they’re ordered.”
Brittani Butler of Cashmere helps make those sandwiches. She said customers have enjoyed the portion sizes and are amazed that the nuts are roasted in house. Butler commended Watkins for her business savvy and kindness.
“She looks out for every one of us,” Butler said. “I joked the other day that she was like Mother Goose.”
In the eatery, customers have the option of building their own sandwiches in a deli or panini style. Among the different nuts available are almonds, cashews, pepitas and walnuts. Some specific options customers can choose from are cinnamon vanilla almonds, curry coconut cashews, lemon pepper pepitas and orange cranberry walnuts. The store also features a variety of drinks, jams, jerky, cookies, and honey.
Watkins looks forward to seeing her company grow. While profits and products are certainly business essentials, the most rewarding aspect of her job is the people.
“What I like best about this is that I discovered that Cashmere, who used to be the high school rival of my hometown Leavenworth, the people here are so nice,” she said. “The business community especially has been so welcoming. I’ve been overwhelmed by that. The kindness of strangers off the street just stopping to say, ‘Welcome, and I’ll come see you when I can,’ that’s something I never expected.” Almond Blossom is located at 102 Aplets Way, Cashmere.
Call: 509-888-3857