2024 was a wild year for Mason McDonald and his wife, Amy.
Mason has a business coaching and consulting company, and after working on a business opportunity with a client, that client passed on the deal but suggested the McDonalds take it.
“It was an awesome deal but I hadn’t really considered it,” Mason McDonald said. “Amy and I had been praying about what we might do next, and as we did more of that, we decided this was it. In fact, my best friend, Alex said, ‘This might be the dream you didn’t know you had.’”
He was right.
Noble Coffee and Tea has been a community favorite for nearly 30 years. It sits on the square in Noblesville. Customers have enjoyed years of looking out the window to the beautiful view of the historic courthouse in a comfortable spot meant for everyone to enjoy.
The McDonalds already had a love for coffee. In fact, it was one of the things that brought them together.
“When we were getting married, we scored a zero in compatibility but we just laughed at that,” McDonald said. “By that point we had been together for years. So it might be hard to find what we have in common, but coffee and breakfast have always been something we do together. We love trying new coffee shops and I’m an excessive home brewer. I love it.”
They also have four children under the age of 5, with the newest addition having arrived just days after they completed the sale for the coffee shop.
Despite the whirlwind of a new business, a new child and a new staff, McDonald is grateful for how it’s all turned out.
“The former owners, Mark Littler and Robyn Wilson, really worked hard to make this a place for everyone,” McDonald said. “They wanted to help us in the transition to make sure this was successful and we’re grateful for that. The team has been awesome and this has been no small feat for them. They’ve had such a good attitude and we have a barista that has been there for 18 years. In the beginning it was really like, instead of us supporting them, they were our support structure.”
The owners are taking their time, getting to know everyone and the ins and out of the business. Though the couple have ideas, there’s no intent to change anything too soon. “We want to look at ways to elevate what we currently have and make that happen in the future,” McDonald said.
Noble Coffee and Tea offers more than a cup of coffee. They roast their own beans on-site, with flavors ranging from Banana Nut Bread to Ethiopia Kilenso Moconissa Organic. Customers can grab an assortment of pastries, muffins and cookies too.
“We have savory and sweet food options, both hot and cold,” McDonald said. “We have coffees, teas, blended drinks and boba,” McDonald said. “There’s a 30-foot-wide by 8-foot-tall chalkboard menu and a little something for everyone.”
Most importantly, it’s the McDonalds’ desire to continue offering the service and quality the community has come to expect for nearly three decades.
“This place has so much character,” McDonald said. “It’s a part of many people in the community’s childhoods. People get married at the courthouse and stop by for coffee on their way out. We’re in one of the greatest counties in the nation. Our staff is excellent. I trust them and they do such a good job. None of this could have happened if everything didn’t go exactly the way it did. We’re having a lot of fun.”
