Downtown Hidden Gems: Lincoln Espresso

Audie Stroud and Lincoln Espresso's tale begins in his college days in Yakima, Washington. 

Working nights and attending school during the day, Audie was a hardworking student, fueled by countless cups of rich Washington coffee. 

His mother told him, “Why are you buying so much coffee? It would be cheaper for you to just buy the store.”

And the rest… is history.

Lincoln Ave. Espresso in Yakima can be credited as the spark behind the Lincoln Espresso we know and love today. “I really liked the name, as you can tell,” says Audie Strong, founder of Lincoln Espresso. Taking his mother’s advice, Audie asked the owner for any opportunity, and sure enough, the timing was just right. Lincoln Ave. Espresso happened to be selling a portable store to sell coffee out of, and from there, Audie began his coffee-selling journey.  

Audie trained in that portable coffee shop like a Jedi for two months before finally taking it on the road himself. “That summer, I learned how to make all the drinks, I knew how to make the machines work, and I really enjoyed learning the ins and outs of it all,” explains Audie.  

Now that the store was his own, Audie hit the road.  “True story, I wanted to go to Texas but I ran out of gas,” says Audie with a laugh, “I met a trucker who told me to stop in Lincoln for a football game… well, look where I am today.”  

After finally settling in Lincoln, Audie decided to sell some joe. He caught wind that the state fair was coming to town and saw his chance. After 12 lucrative days at the fair, Audie set up a shop on a horse track. “I loved it. I met a ton of friends and connections,” says Audie. I knew Lincoln was a great fit.” 

After gaining momentum, it was time for an upgrade. Audie came across the downtown Lincoln Espresso property 28 years ago. Tucked into a busy corner, he transformed the space into an iconic Lincoln location. It is one of the longest-running businesses on O Street, with an incredible reputation and love from Lincoln residents.  

“We just aim to give people a quality cup of coffee and give them a reason to come back,” explains Audie.”  Being downtown, Lincoln Espresso is popular among professionals, college students, and others.  

Audie Strong began his journey with Lincoln Espresso on the road, and after 28 years, he has one of the most iconic businesses in Downtown Lincoln. Lincoln Espresso embodies the same passion and quality as Audie during his younger days in Yakima, Washington, from handcrafted coffee to smoothies and infusions. The truck driver who told Audie to stop in Lincoln for a football game might not have known it then, but he helped steer a legend into town.