Local family-run business brings a new gathering spot to Big Sky
By Leslie Kilgore EBS CONTRIBUTOR
Tucked into a bright and cozy storefront in Meadow Village Center adjacent to Country Market, Hero Snow Coffee is the newest option for a morning destination in Big Sky.
With the help from family, friends, their 12-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter, husband and wife duo Shannon Hyem and Ewan Knowles first opened the bakery and coffee shop on April 1. Immediately, they saw daily lines out the door with people seeking more of their Montana-sourced baked goods, healthy breakfast sandwiches, craft coffee brews and unique specialty drinks.
Hero Snow Coffee has quickly become a local spot for morning gatherings, pop-up events, and to-go coffee and treats for commuters.
“Many community members have mentioned in the past month that they’ve been waiting for a spot like this in the Meadow Village Center for years,” Hyem said. “And they’re thrilled a local family has finally filled that need for the neighborhood.”’
Explore Big Sky sat down with Hyem to hear about this new venture for their family.
Explore Big Sky: How long have you lived in Big Sky, and what is your history here in the community?
Shannon Hyem: We both met and worked at Yellowstone Club 20 years ago and returned to Big Sky over a year ago. We both have a deep love for the mountains. I was born in Bozeman and am a fourth-generation Montanan. Ewan is originally from the Highlands of Scotland and has been in the U.S. for 25 years, after a long career at sea and in resort operations.
We have been traveling for 16 years in and out of the country and wanted to give our children a home base, and Big Sky was the perfect match. We maintained strong connections to Montana and Big Sky over the years, so when we returned, we knew this would be a landing place for our family.
EBS: What inspired you both to take the leap and open Hero Snow Coffee together?
SH: We bought the domain name and started Hero Snow Property Management, which we still run. In January, we were approached to use the current location and open a coffee shop and cafe. During our time in Hawaii, we worked on opening a coffee shop, so this opportunity felt like the right timing and right location. So, Hero Snow Coffee was coined.
We also both wanted to build a different life for our family. We homeschool, and the goal was always to be a full-time family. This opportunity, though a bit out of left field at first, enabled us to take the leap and create Hero Snow Coffee.
EBS: How did your background—personally or professionally—prepare you for running a coffee shop in a mountain resort town?
SH: Our backgrounds blend entrepreneurship, wellness, hospitality, and a deep love for mountain culture. I previously ran two wellness businesses and have always been a serial entrepreneur. Ewan brought 25 years of hospitality from top brands and engineering skills to maintain, fix, and keep operations running. Those skills, along with a lot of heart and hustle, gave us the foundation to bring Hero Snow Coffee to life.
Having worked and lived in two ski towns, traveled extensively to other countries, lived in remote areas, and having had unique life experiences gave us the confidence to go all in. We believed more options were needed in Meadow Village, and bringing small craft coffee to Big Sky would be a success.
EBS: Big Sky has a unique community and ski culture. How do you envision Hero Snow Coffee fitting into, and contributing to, that local scene?
SH: Hero Snow Coffee is more than coffee to us, and we think Meadow Village is the heart of the community. It hosts local businesses, the bank, real estate offices, builders, Black Tie ski rentals, gyms, home décor shops and the post office, among others.
We want to create a home base for those working so hard in the community. We also want to bring in tourists and have them experience that feeling of a hometown culture and craft coffee.
EBS: Can you tell us more about your coffee and your business model?
SH: So many coffee shops are now automated, rushed and transactional. We want to build relationships, share joy and get to know people. We have a unique understanding and relationship with what Big Sky was in the beginning and where it is going now.
EBS: What’s the story behind choosing your name, and how will you carry that spirit forward?
SH: The name “Hero Snow” conjures images of adventure, fun and ski culture to the core. It was mentioned to us by a local Olympic skier who’s a good friend, after she had had a “hero snow” day skiing at Big Sky Resort. The name stuck with us both, and we initially planned to just do ski gear and hats, but then that evolved.
“Hero snow” is that perfect, dreamy snow—soft, effortless, and unforgettable. It’s when everything feels just right, whether you’re skiing your heart out or simply living in the moment. We plan to carry that spirit into everything we do, from the welcoming atmosphere to the creative drinks to community events. We are using the alpine theme in our product name, the logo obviously is mountain-based too, and our up-and-coming apparel will be for the outdoor user and logoed with the Hero Snow Coffee stamp.
EBS: As parents, how are you planning to balance family life and the demands of a growing business, especially during the busy seasons?
SH: It’s definitely a juggle, but family is our “why”. We’re setting up systems and building a strong team so that the shop can run smoothly without taking us away from the moments that matter most. We have always homeschooled the kids and are incorporating them into the business operations as a learning tool, and then have homeschool curriculum continued after hours.
Balance to us is somewhat of a myth, as balance in life is impossible to gain, so we choose to look at priorities and family first, with the business being merged into our day-to-day lives.
EBS: Are there any new menu items, coffee roasts, baked goods, or even events that you’re excited to introduce at your cafe?
SH: Yes, we’re excited to introduce some unique specials like Scottish sausage rolls, Scottish shortbread, rotating egg bites, banana bread French toast, and other new options to see what people really love.
We are collaborating with many local small businesses for small batch pastries, chocolate pairing, and local produce and meats. Plus, we have some fun community events planned, pop-up weekend options, book clubs meeting, and are open to having people rent the space for private events. We will be at the farmer’s market this year and will also be creating a lunch menu for the summer season.
We continuously change the daily specials with inventive drinks, homemade sauces by Ewan, and are testing different offerings for people to try. It’s a fun part of the business. We already have standing orders for businesses, gift card options and a pop-up on May 4. The space is so cozy, and we hope to continue to fill it with fun, creative and new ways to serve the Big Sky community.
EBS: I know you are very committed to healthy eating with your wellness business, how do you plan to source your coffee beans and ingredients?
SH: We are currently using a local roaster in Montana. Our beans are fair trade and roasted for us each week, so they are fresh. We have partnered with Furrow and Fly and On the Rise in Bozeman for certain baked goods. We use organic milk, organic eggs and meats, organic syrups and make many of our own sauces and syrups.
We bake many items from scratch and plan to do the same with our lunches in the summer. Our goal is to source as much as we can locally.
We want people to experience exceptional espresso and taste coffee, not have it watered down, and full of preservatives. We are making the coffee syrups in-house and in some instances, syrups by request, which means more flavor and less sugar. We’ve gone back to the basics, manually, made-to-order drinks to create the best tasting, best made coffee.
EBS: What community initiatives or collaborations—whether with local schools, nonprofits, community organizations, artists, musicians, etc.—are on your horizon?
SH: We’re already brainstorming collaborations with local artists for rotating art displays, partnering with Big Sky schools for fundraisers, and hosting small concerts and pop-up markets featuring local makers. Community support is woven into the DNA of Hero Snow Coffee.
EBS: What has been the most surprising challenge you’ve encountered so far, and what have been some surprising accomplishments and celebrations?
SH: It was definitely challenging to get everything ready for opening, learning the intricacies of craft coffee making and expanding our education of coffee. Baking the right amount has been a challenge because each day is different. Some days we sell out of one thing, and the next day a completely different option.
The best surprise is the unwavering support of friends and other businesses, and experiencing the day-to-day growth of the shop. We have loved making connections with every person who walks in and getting to know more people in Big Sky.
Watching our crew excel and provide exceptional customer service has been such a joy, and we are so grateful for them. When you have fun working and get to serve others, well, it doesn’t get much better.
We have witnessed a full room with all the seats taken and watched people rest, reconnect, share laughter and stories, have deep conversations, conduct interviews, or just sit quietly and work. This is the very vision we had, so if we can continue to build that, it’s our dream coming true.
EBS: Looking ahead five years, what do you hope Hero Snow Coffee will mean to your family personally and to the Big Sky community at large?
SH: In five years, we hope Hero Snow will feel like a Big Sky staple and favorite spot to many. We want it to be a place where locals and visitors alike feel seen, welcomed and connected.
For our family, it’s about creating a legacy of service, creativity and joy. For the community, we hope Hero Snow Coffee becomes a small but meaningful part of what makes Big Sky feel like home.
We would like to see the brand grow and build out locations, but first do this really well and for the right reasons. For us, success is not just measured by monetization—it is measured by the consistency and the way people feel when they exit Hero Snow. This is the heart work in serving others.
