Coffee has become a commodity, with latté stands once springing up like mushrooms.

The plethora of businesses requires them to differentiate themselves from competitors who are selling similar products, forcing them to develop a brand identity and something that sets them apart from the rest.

Natté Latté, located on the northbound side of State Route 16 heading into Gorst, has always used a pink theme and clothing paraphernalia to develop its identity, dressing its baristas in frilly but not completely revealing costumes.

Even if their getup would have once been considered a little suggestive than average, this contrast was underscored a few years ago when Espresso Gone Wild opened just up the street.

The Natte latté girls may show a little skin, but they’re not reduced to wearing pasties one day a week.

“With the pink shirts, tank tops and shorts, we provide a coffee shop with a little bit of an edge,” said Gary Towe, who bought the stand earlier this year. “But we provide a high quality product, which has more to do with getting repeat customers than our uniforms.”

Towe speaks of the Natté latté brand in the same breath as Starbucks, saying that it has as much potential as the market colossus.

Even if there is only one location, he believes he can increase his visibility through expansion.

With this in mind, he plans to open a café and a retail store across the parking lot from the current stand.

People will still be able to get drive through service, but those who want to have a drink in a more relaxing environment will have that choice.

Towe has worked for Boeing and has run several food and beverage operations, although not as an owner.

He is continuing his consultant business while operating the coffee stand, where he works several days a week.

Towe lives in Des Moines and owns a cabin in Mason County.

He became familiar with Natté latté because it is on the way and, as the story often goes, liked it so much that he bought the company.

Due to its location on the northbound highway with no direct path from traffic traveling south, the business doesn’t have easy access to half its potential customers.

Towe admits the difficulty but doesn’t see the location as an appreciable damage.

SR-16 is a popular thoroughfare, and there are enough northbound cars to keep the business moving.

And some regular customers are so dedicated they will make the double U-turns and the extra time required to get a quality latté.

Towe has a barista staff of “between four and five” — all attractive, slender young women.

Towe said he would hire someone who was less attractive or less slender “if they are qualified,” but that applicants have their own filtering system. “They see our uniforms,” he said. “If they aren’t going to look good in them, they won’t apply here.”

The women don’t necessarily see working in the stand as a career path, but making a good latté is a skill that can be transferred elsewhere.

And much of their income comes from tips.

Towe said that each barista gets about 100 hours of training and learns how to make a variety of specialty drinks.

“The economy has affected our business,” Towe said. “We’re holding on now by supplying a quality product and building a loyal customer base. We use the best chocolate and coffee, and our customers return because this is a place where they can get a high-quality beverage.”