Caitlin Boland was born and raised in Great Falls, and met Sam, who was born in Norway and raised in Morocco, in Scotland in 2010. They moved back to Great Falls in 2017 and have since started their own law firm, which is above – yeah – a coffee shop that they opened together in 2020. Read more about this power couple’s return to Great Falls and the life they’re making here:
What you do for work?
We started our law firm Boland Aarab PLLP in 2017. We practice civil litigation on the plaintiff’s side (personal injury, consumer protection, insurance disputes, etc.) and criminal defense. In October 2020, we opened Luna Coffee Bar on 5th Street in downtown Great Falls.
What is the best part of working/living in Great Falls?
The best part of working and living in Great Falls is how integrated the two are. Our coffee shop is immediately below our law firm, and both are a 3-minute drive from our house. We have such a supportive community and family and can frequently mix business with pleasure. For example, our baristas in the coffee shop have acted as mock jurors when we are preparing a case for trial. The guy who did some of the remodeling of the coffee shop is now working on the front porch of our house. Families who have their kids at the daycare where our boys go (St. Thomas) have come to us for legal advice and great espresso. It feels like our work lives and our personal lives are in a great positive feedback loop, and that’s thanks in large part to this community.
Why did you choose to start a business in Great Falls?
We started our first business in Great Falls because it appeared from statewide data that this community could use and support a couple more attorneys. But we also knew that Caitlin’s hometown is always glad to
see its young people return home. We thought that Great Falls would be a safe place to take a chance on a new business because we have the family and community support here. But Great Falls quickly exceeded our expectations as a business-friendly place, and we felt that when we were opening the coffee shop, we weren’t really taking a risk at all.
What is the best kept secret about living in Great Falls?
The best things about Great Falls aren’t secrets at all. It’s centrally located, close to all kinds of fun things to do, and full of people who are eager to support one another and see their community succeed. We just wish more people would see what we see in this town!
Read more on our blog!
The Great Falls, Cool People series features Great Falls community members who are doing cool things under the Big Sky.