A place where Elkhorn gathers.
Fourteen years on the square, one corner shop, and a whole lot of regulars who became friends.
In 2012, the Odling family opened a small coffee shop on the corner of the Elkhorn square and called it Friends on the Square. For more than a decade it was the place people met over great coffee, good conversation, and a warm welcome — the kind of room where the barista knows your order before you ask.
In 2026 Friends entered a new chapter when longtime customer and former employee David Redford purchased the business — with a plan to preserve what people already loved and thoughtfully build on it. Four years behind this counter in high school turned a job into something bigger: a real passion for hospitality, for small business, and for the town that shows up here every morning.
Today we serve handcrafted coffee and espresso, seasonal specialty drinks, refreshing teas, Lotus energy drinks, smoothies, fresh bakery, breakfast and lunch favorites, and locally loved Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream. Every month our team drops the Friends Collective — four limited-time drinks inspired by the season, and you get a say in which one sticks around.
Whether you’re grabbing your morning coffee, meeting a friend, sharing ice cream with your family, getting work done, or just taking a breath — we hope you feel welcome the second you walk in.
“More than anything, Friends is about people.”
David Redford · Owner
David Redford
Owner · Est. 2026
Twenty years old, all in on Elkhorn.
David started at Friends as a high school employee, learning the business from the ground up — serving customers, making drinks, and seeing the daily work behind a place people genuinely value.
In April 2026 he acquired the company, with a focus on honoring the history and relationships that made Friends special while building a stronger, more modern brand. Before that, he ran end-to-end marketing operations for a manufacturing company.
For David, owning Friends is about more than a business. It’s about investing in people, strengthening the community he calls home, and building something with lasting impact.
- Daily operations
- Team development
- Marketing strategy
- Customer experience
- Community partnerships
- Long-term planning
Thank you for being part of the Friends story.
We’re proud to call Elkhorn home and grateful to be part of such an incredible community. Thank you for supporting local — we can’t wait to welcome you in.