The smell of fresh coffee drifts through the air. Music hums in the background, people gather, and students meet up. Just a few years ago, these buildings were almost torn down. Today, it’s become the beating heart of downtown Cashmere. The man behind all the action is Andrew Thomas, a local entrepreneur with a bold vision. At 39, he took what could have been a lost opportunity and turned it into a thriving hub for the community. With businesses like Gaucho Coffee Co., Yonder Cider Taproom, Small Change Reuse, Cashmere Records, Understory Book Shop, and Brassbound Collective, Thomas didn’t just save these buildings; he brought a dream to life.
“Once this gets built, it’s the community’s to own,” Thomas explains, and that vision is prominent in Sidestreet, a building in downtown Cashmere that houses a variety of businesses. From the vibrant yet charming shops to the open patio for events, every part of Sidestreet is filled with endless possibilities.
“It’s a field of dreams, if you build it, they will come… We have plans for rooftop decks and rentable patio space for private events.”
And for Thomas, that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
“This isn’t even the beginning of it. Because this is just, like, setting the table for the party. This isn’t even the party yet. This is just the venue for the live events that are going to go on here… It’s really never been done before. And I think that kind of outside of the box thinking [is what makes it work].”
While his plans for the future of Sidestreet gradually begin to fall into place, it’s hard to ignore the pivotal role he is playing in our community. When asked about his cause, he explained how his Mother was the inspiration for his creativity.
“I think she’s kind of the only reason… When I read her eulogy, I talked about the permission she gave me to be creative. There just wasn’t any reason to ever say no to anything. Like, we took old electronics apart, we created things, we built forts together… And so you know, instilling that at a young age, and then getting to a place like [Sidestreet] where [when] you have an idea, your initial reaction isn’t ever going to be no… She was just that kind of confident woman.”
But Thomas’ creativity didn’t just shape Sidestreet; it influenced our entire community. For students, it means a new area to hang out, study, or even get inspiration for projects of their own. For the businesses inside, it’s a chance to be a part of something bigger. However, the impact on local businesses has been notable as well.
“Yeah, a couple of new businesses have popped up now. Three or four new businesses have… It does feel like we are, yes, somehow responsible for a little bit of a movement here, which is good.”
As he continued to dive deeper into his background, it was impressive to find that his list of accomplishments went far beyond Sidestreet. Born and raised in San Diego, he grew up with a passion for entrepreneurship. In his late 20s, he moved to Seattle to work for the Mariners. Coming from a restaurant background, he opened and managed around 20 restaurants for them. As he continued to grow in his career, he got into home remodeling.
He elaborates, “I snowballed into kind of a hospitality contracting background, which made me uniquely suited to try something like this.”
Thomas recounts the process of opening Sidestreet, emphasizing how much careful planning and hard work it took to transform the space into what it is today, and what it will become in the future.
“We took things down, we rethought everything, put the entire building in the CAD [Computer-aided design] computer… We space planned the entire building, so we know what business flows into what business. There’s nothing left up to chance right now. Everything that we’ve put in has been part of the original blueprint.”
Though for Thomas, Sidestreet isn’t about personal gain. His vision has always been centered around Cashmere itself.
“What I want is to serve the community. There’s no business in here [Sidestreet] that I’m opening because it’s specifically what I want. It’s because it’s what Cashmere needs. Growing this place as a place for my son to have when he’s older gives it a different meaning to me.”
A sense of purpose like that extends beyond the confines of Sidestreet. Thomas shares how he is deeply invested in the identity of Cashmere and its future.
“I’m in awe of Cashmere. It’s the most beautiful place in the world. Like, it’s stunning. This place is heaven. It’s so beautiful here, and I feel that way after five years of living here. I have the opportunity to not only live here but to build something like this and raise my family here.”
He also sees Cashmere as a town full of potential, one that already has more monuments than most areas of its size.
“Cashmere itself is an absurd town of 2,400. We have a fairground, we have a regional airport, we have everything. What don’t we have in Cashmere?”
That question seems to fuel his drive to fill the gaps and to give the community what it doesn’t yet have. Although there’s no doubt that taking on something like this doesn’t come without risk.
“You have to be a little bit crazy to do this. Like, you just have to be comfortable with failure in a way that most people aren’t.”
For Andrew Thomas, Sidestreet began as a progressive idea, but now it’s proof of what can be made possible when unbridled creativity meets an eager community. Thomas may have set the stage, but the future of Sidestreet belongs to the people who will continue to bring it to life.
