Couple brings a taste of the Northwest to Roosevelt.

• Author: Biton, Adva
• Position: Around Utah

Roosevelt -- Fred and Dani Heslip are bringing a little bit of the big city to small town Utah.

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Last year, the couple noticed there wasn't much of a community meeting place or any coffee shops in their small Duschene County city of nearly 7,000 people. Ready to flex their entrepreneurial muscles, the two decided to open a coffee shop. Soon, they added an ever-expanding menu, and now, their BEANS & BITES is open and thriving, offering a from-scratch menu of panini, pastries and fresh coffee, with everything made from scratch.

"My first job when I was 15 was a barista. I remembered the feeling I would get [while working], I didn't realize how much food can affect people. People would come in with a certain mood and leave happy and confident, ready for the day," said Dani. "My parents told me, when they say food is a comfort, it's true. When I got older and came back to the industry, I realized it's relevant in people's life. It can bring happiness. And there's a sense of unity when people come around a kitchen table or a restaurant."

Fred, originally from Seattle, is no stranger to coffee. He moved to Roosevelt after his wife, Dani, originally from the Uintah Basin, sold him on the charms of the area. Both previously had some background in food service, and both describe themselves as foodies, often trekking down to Park City to try new restaurants or cooking at home. They wanted to bring a piece of the bigger cities into their own cafe, to create a menu different from the usual steak-and-potatoes fare that's common in Roosevelt.

"We wanted a Park City meets Seattle meets the Basin charm," said Fred, "The comments we get is that people step in, out from the street, and feel like they stepped out...