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S3E11: Melissa's "Everybody's busy" Coffee Revolution: Where Passion Meets Reservation
1.1k Plays1 year ago
Today, we have the pleasure of introducing you to an exceptional coffee entrepreneur, Melissa Stinson. The brilliance behind the successful 'Everybody's Busy' coffee studio in Chicago, Melissa embodies the spirit of innovation and fervor in the coffee industry. But what truly sets her apart is her unique concept: a reservation-style business model, weaving exclusivity and personalization into every coffee experience.
While the world often measures success in revenue and numbers, Melissa’s journey teaches us that it’s so much more than that. For many in the coffee world, it’s the pure, unbridled passion for the craft that holds more weight than financial returns. Every pour, every brew, every sip she offers at 'Everybody's Busy' is a testament to that undying love for coffee.
So, if you ever find yourself wandering the streets of Chicago, take a moment to reserve a spot at 'Everybody's Busy.' Dive into a coffee encounter like never before and let Melissa's story inspire you to find success on your own terms. Enjoy the episode!
If you prefer reading, read Melissa's coffee story here
https://notabarista.org/melissa-stinson/
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At "I'M NOT A BARISTA," our essence lies in echoing the voices of coffee aficionados who often remain unheard. We champion the tales, trials, and triumphs of every individual in the coffee community. Every story matters, and yours could be the next one we share. Don't be a silent brewer; let the world hear your story.
Want to share your coffee chronicle? DM us on Instagram.
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast and Host's Aim
00:00:00
Speaker
I'm your favorite artist favorite artist. So I'm your favorite barista's favorite barista
00:00:08
Speaker
Welcome to the I'm Not A Barista podcast. We're here to talk about all things coffee from industry careers, brewing tips, community support and more with some really incredible people who love coffee as much as you do. We hope their stories inspire you because humanity runs on coffee and together we can empower all the people behind every cup.
Meet Melissa Stinson: Journey to Coffee
00:00:34
Speaker
Welcome back to I Am Not A Barista. I am your host, Mickey. Today, we journey into the heart of one woman's dream. Meet Melissa, an incredible force in the coffee world, from humble beginnings to realizing her ultimate passion project, Everybody's Busy Coffee Studio. Dive in as we brew stories of determination, love for coffee, and the dream that turned into a delightful reality. Grab your favorite mug. This episode is one to save her.
00:01:02
Speaker
We don't have to talk about coffee. I don't know if you want to talk about coffee. I mean, I'm kind of coffee adjacent, you know, um, I kind of started because I couldn't find good coffee and I couldn't, it was an experience that I was looking for. So I realized I just had to create it for myself, you know, but the coffee is just like the tipping point. It's, it's so much more.
00:01:26
Speaker
You know, it's the music, it's the energy, it's the smell, it's the visuals. It's how I feel going in, it's how I feel coming out.
From Arts to Coffee: A Chicago Tale
00:01:33
Speaker
So before we talk about your journey from music to coffee, maybe you want to tell the audience about yourself? Sure.
00:01:44
Speaker
Hi, everybody. My name is Melissa Stinson. I'm from Chicago, Illinois, United States. I grew up on the south side of Chicago. I've had a lot of background work in arts and entertainment.
00:02:02
Speaker
And that's kind of where I've been birthed from into the coffee world. I'm just a woman that's a one woman band, not necessarily by choice, but financially because of that. I just really think that intention should be a requirement, you know? And that's kind of how I live my life and how I've been living my life. But that's how I live my life. And that's how I try to impact other people's lives through intention. So how did you end up in the coffee world?
00:02:32
Speaker
So, like I said, I worked in TV and film.
00:02:37
Speaker
And so coffee is very important because if you are going to work a 17 or 18 or 19 hour day, back in those days, before COVID, you kind of want to have something that's good. And coffee was that thing where it's like, you can't just get up and have a gin martini or old fashioned or something at five in the morning. I mean, you can, but I just wanted a good cup of coffee.
00:03:03
Speaker
I just really discovered through my travels and I'm a coffee shop hopper. I wasn't loyal to like any particular brand. I just wanted something good. Just a cup of, I don't even know what the word, just a cup of goodness, I guess. So I realized that I couldn't really find what I wanted.
The Inspiration Behind Melissa's Coffee Passion
00:03:23
Speaker
And this is when I was staying in New York. I'm from Chicago, but I was living in New York. Actually it was inspired by, it was a Japanese couple who had just opened up a coffee shop in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn.
00:03:33
Speaker
And the coffee was really, really, really good. And the music was good and the little pastries were good. I'm just like, Oh my God. Like, and they were just super nice and chill. And so I was like, how'd you get into this? And they were like, we just liked the coffee. And I was like, what, what do you mean? And like, we just liked the coffee. And I was like, wow. Just like that. And they were like, just like that. So I kind of took that and said, well,
00:03:59
Speaker
I just want a good coffee, cup of coffee every day. How can I make this happen? I went back home to Chicago and I started really getting into coffee. I learned how to do pour overs, the equipment, and just realizing there's all these roasters out here. This is like 2015. And just kind of went crazy with it. And then just kind of discovering that all coffee is not equal. Just like beer, just like anything. Everything doesn't taste the exact same. It shouldn't. Just because you want a good cup of coffee.
00:04:31
Speaker
Everything started. Yeah. Oh, that sounds simple and crazy, right? Because everybody wants a good cup of coffee, but not so many people want to open a coffee shop. No, they don't. And that's the thing. I don't know if everybody wants a good cup. I don't even know if people even know what a good cup of coffee is. Oh, that's true. Yeah. You know, it depends on where you are in your life and your exposure or whatever.
00:04:55
Speaker
Um, but the coffee shop idea was really for my love of coffee, my love of
Coffee and Creativity: A Unique Studio Experience
00:05:04
Speaker
objects and products and things. I love products. I love new things. I love things to make things with. So that was always cool. I could buy a pour over or a new container or just whatever. A new coffee. I kind of treated it like music. But anyway, so was coffee. Music was a huge, huge factor. I would go into places and the music was just
00:05:31
Speaker
It just wasn't inspiring. It was kind of awful actually. And it wasn't realistic, I guess, which is very, that's how I took it. It wasn't realistic. So I just thought about all these different things and it was like, how can I combine them? And I didn't know what my real talent was, you know, still kind of figuring it out. Cause when you work for somebody for so long, you know, you kind of just, you know, your ideas and your passion kind of gets pushed, pushed, pushed, pushed, pushed. Cause you're so focused on trying to make it happen for them, which is fine. It's called work.
00:06:01
Speaker
Um, but I knew that this was going to be an experience. I just didn't know how this was going to be. I was creating something that I didn't know I was creating and was really secretly creating my new life, but it was through coffee. You know, it was through experience. I knew like with the coffee part.
00:06:26
Speaker
It's a drink, you know, you drink it, but what else do you do? How else did you, you know, get dressed? What did you drive in? How'd you walk? What shoes did you put on? You know, what are you listening to? You know, those are all factors for me. And of course, if I'm listening and walking and feeling and smelling good, of course, I want to drink something that's good. Wow, it seems coffee is not the ultimate goal. It's the start of everything. It is, it is. It's been my vehicle.
00:06:55
Speaker
So you talk about coffee music and you are a coffee shop owner. Well, you know what? Now I would call it
00:07:05
Speaker
It started off as that idea, but what I'm doing now is it's become like coffee by appointment. So I have a studio and I have my L'Armesoco, you know, my coffee and, you know, my stuff or whatever. But really when you come in, it's all your senses that are being like heightened, you know, visually, your smell, the taste, the energy. So it's more than, it's not even a shop. It's almost like a sanctuary.
00:07:33
Speaker
In a sense. All right. Could you tell us more about it? Like if I'm, if you introduced your place to me and then to someone who have never been there before, what your customers or your friends will see first when they enter the room?
A Personal and Artistic Coffee Encounter
00:07:49
Speaker
So I've done pop-ups, I've done different things. This is a studio that basically it's a studio building for artists, but
00:08:00
Speaker
You make up an appointment online to come see me, to get coffee. But what happens, right. What happens is, because I know you want to be there. It's not like you're just walking in, you can just walk in. There's a whole elevator, there's a whole thing. So you walk in and basically you're getting an experience and a taste of,
00:08:21
Speaker
my perspective. So it's like you're walking into my head in a sense, you know, you come in and there's pictures, there's art, there's, I'm always burning incense and candles and usually very, very nice, nice, nice sense. Music, of course, and it could be anything from
00:08:41
Speaker
Chardonnay to Sinatra, to Ella Fitzgerald, to Gang Starr, to Red Man. I mean, it can be all over the place. It's just like you're basically experiencing different layers of me. And of course, I'm serving you coffee, and I'm going to serve it to you how I would serve it to myself every morning, which is
00:09:01
Speaker
in a protective cup, which is good cream, which is brown sugar, really simple, but it's clean, but it's, it's coffee. You know, I don't do any like rasmatas and caramels and I don't, and no, no disrespect to those people, but I just don't do that. I don't need it. And the coffee is how I make it. It's kind of a representation of the whole studio. You know, you can be there anywhere from a half an hour to sometimes four or five hours. People get so comfortable. It becomes kind of like coffee therapy.
00:09:31
Speaker
I'm not even a licensed therapist, but it really kind of becomes that where it's a safe space, I guess. I'm not really concerned with what you're thinking and doing. I'm concerned with me, which means you're probably gonna be concerned with you. So we're both concerned with each other. And we're just kind of being in that space if that makes any sense to you.
00:09:55
Speaker
That's, that's a new idea for me, like something I never could expect, but we'll be a conversation normally in that room, that space. Let me see. So I've gotten, I'm a destination shop. So I'm, let's just say this, I'm your favorite artist, favorite artist. So I'm your favorite barista, favorite barista. I've gotten people that are life coaches, geologists, um, Jesus, sign painters, um,
00:10:24
Speaker
Lawyers, I mean like it I never know who's coming. So the conversations are just organic It might start with well, how did you get started or I might ask them? Hey How'd you find me and they tell me and we just kind of go off the energy, you know, it's nothing forced. There's there's You don't have to do all of that, you know, it's you're just being you're just present. No one's really on the phone you know, it's not a it's not a place you come and get on the computer or
Balancing Creativity with Personal Life
00:10:51
Speaker
you're coming to actually sit down, have a, have a mysterious conversation with a person you've never met. And there's, I leave an impact. That's what I've been told. I leave a very pleasant impact upon people. People feel inspired when they leave, you know, because it's a break. It's just a break from, from the craziness that's out here in the world. And especially being in the U S you know, it's a completely different, uh, monster here. Um, could you tell us where your shop is?
00:11:19
Speaker
Yeah, so I'm in Chicago. The neighborhood is Pilsen, which is kind of west of Chicago, like downtown, in a building called Mauna Contemporary. And actually there's three of them. There's one in New Jersey, one in Miami, and there's one here. And I think that's been there over 10 years now. And I want to say, I don't even know how many people are in the building, but I want to say maybe it might be 20 rooms on each floor. There's like five floors.
00:11:48
Speaker
It's tons of things going on. But it's very much, like I said, when you make the appointment, it's very private. So, Mickey, if you made an appointment, you come see me, it's just me and you in the room, and we're just sitting, and you're just taking it all in. And we might talk, we might not, but it's like comfortable.
00:12:08
Speaker
Wow, it sounds so different, so different. Because it's so simple. How did you get the name? Everybody's busy, right? And how is connected with what you're doing? So, okay, it's layers to it, but everybody's busy. I'm very sarcastic. It's kind of like a joke, but not really. And especially working in production and entertainment and stuff and
00:12:36
Speaker
you know, like, hey, I'll come in and get back to me, or I'll come in and call me, da-da-da. And people like to say, oh, I was so busy, I couldn't. It's like, that's not true. Just say you didn't feel like it, or you just didn't want to. I'd rather deal with that than when people tell you, oh, they're so busy, because nobody's busy. People do what they want to do. I know I do, you know? And so that's kind of like my joke of, oh, everybody's so busy, until they're not. And I just kind of was like, huh?
00:13:05
Speaker
I would walk past and see all these people in line for coffee. And I'm like, they're so busy, I thought, but they're waiting 20, 30 minutes in line for a cup of coffee. So you're not busy. You've chosen to stand in this line and wait. The other thing is that added really to the top or two is I'm a huge Seinfeld fan. And one day I was watching an episode and George, this episode I've seen numerous times and George basically, he says the same things like, everybody's so busy. And I'm like, yeah, George, right?
00:13:35
Speaker
And they're not. The guy just didn't want to tell him that he had cancer. You know, it's just a matter of choice. So nobody's busy. Not really. So there, I'm never busy. It's great. Didn't expect that answer. But it's cool. Everybody's busy. And it's funny when you talk about the whole story, right? People waiting 20 minutes online for a cup of coffee. They're not busy at all. No.
00:14:02
Speaker
No, because I've done it. So what is life like right now? Um, well, it's, uh, I guess it's interesting. I guess like life is like life is, it's always interesting. Um, I am actually, so when I'm not at the shop or the studio, I take care of my mother. So I'm an only child. She's an only child.
00:14:27
Speaker
And so I'm her caretaker. So either I'm there or I'm kind of like home. And sometimes it's rough because I have to like turn off that creative part so I can become that social part at home or, you know, do whatever. So it can be a little tough. And I mean, right now this year has been kind of a doozy because it's not been busy. Like, finger to you, literally not been busy.
00:14:54
Speaker
So it's been rough. I'm trying to keep afloat financially and hold on, because I'm like, you know how you feel like you're just so close? It just takes that one thing to just pop it all the way off, because I've been doing it for seven years now. And each year it gets better. But this year has been a little rough. It's been rough, but I have faith.
00:15:20
Speaker
Um, what, what could be the main reason you think is the general situation there in Chicago or it's just, it's still hard to find you because people need to book a time with the first, you know, it depends on who you ask. I mean, listen, I'm one of those people that's very adventurous. I'll go like 30 minutes for a good coffee or an experience. I mean, I'm just that type of person. And like I said, I know I'm not for everybody. I'm not trying to be for everybody.
00:15:49
Speaker
I think it's a combination of the mysterious where it's like, oh, I don't know what I'm doing, or this is just coffee, and it's not just coffee. As many times as I show it on Instagram, in person, it tops it 1,000%. Because I'm a one-woman show, and it's just me, I can't do everything, like the marketing, I make the coffee, I post the videos, I take the pictures. It can be exhausting, so sometimes probably something slipped by the wayside
00:16:19
Speaker
I can't blame it on Instagram. Yes, the algorithm algorithm suck. Yeah, that's true. You know what I'm saying? So it's really hard and people's attention is so like, spoil, where they don't get it in a second or if it's not cosign. I didn't even have cosigners. I've had Jimmy Butler there. I've had Laquan Smith. Like I've had different people come in, but I really, really, really don't know. I'm honestly trying to figure that out. But also too, when you're authentic, it just takes a longer time.
00:16:49
Speaker
Because it's not a gimmick. I show up every day for myself. And of course, if I'm showing up for myself, I'm also showing up for you. You said Jimmy Butler was there. How he finds you.
Influence and Success in Chicago
00:17:04
Speaker
So my good buddy, who is a Larmarzoko rep, because I have a Larmarzoko mini, and we've been cool for a long time. Jimmy was in town, and I think this was maybe six months after he had opened up Big Face. And he was like, hey, I've got Jimmy here. I want to bring him by. And I'm like, all right. So he brings him by, and Jimmy brings his assistant, and then my guy Chad comes, and then he has two guys who are doing content.
00:17:31
Speaker
And they film everything and they come and they hang out. And we just really kind of just all hung out and talked. And I was like, oh, he actually is about the coffee life. Because, you know, people are always starting brands and it's like they're just doing it to be to be cool. But I'm like, oh, no. And come to find out, you know, we have the same roaster. Like it was just all these sort of connects. But literally, it was a place he could just go and be Jimmy Butler or be whomever he is, you know, because it's like it's just me, him,
00:17:59
Speaker
and his people you know and it was really that space that I really believed he appreciated that and it was all over coffee or my chair or whatever. That's big sorry so what was the date like when you saw him in real life?
00:18:16
Speaker
Are you a basketball fan at all? I'm from Chicago. I'm the Bulls, you know, 90s Bulls, drawers, and I remember him playing here. But I'm used to being around popular people. So honestly, I'm super grown. So it wasn't he's Jimmy. It wasn't that big of a deal, which is probably why, you know, people feel comfortable because I don't care. You know, I don't really care about all that other stuff.
00:18:44
Speaker
All right, so we talked about basketball, coffee, Chicago. Maybe you can tell us more about Chicago, the city. What is it like? I mean, I've never been there. Well, you know what? Chicago, I'll say this from leaving and coming back. It's a very clean city. It's all of your business, very clean. Great architecture, great food.
00:19:07
Speaker
I love New York, I love the energy, but it's hard sometimes to just... A day of New York walking the streets is a little more difficult because you literally walk the streets and turn the train and the elements and then whatever. But Chicago's a place that it's birthed a lot of culture. It's just the problem to me is that a lot of people leave and they don't come back. A lot of stuff has come from Chicago.
00:19:33
Speaker
try to keep that in my back pocket of all the music and the industry and creatives that have come out of here. It's a good city. It's a middle, but it's also a very, to me, hard city to penetrate. I don't know what it takes. Maybe because I'm a Chicagoan, I can't speak. To me, it's a hard city to actually win in, but if you win in it, you're good. To me, New York is easier to win in.
00:20:03
Speaker
than Chicago, to me personally. It's challenging, but other than that, like I said, it's all right. Chicago's all right. It's a mixture. I would say you definitely have to come and experience it on your own. So would you think if you open your shops, your studio in New York instead of Chicago will be more successful? Yes, I do.
00:20:30
Speaker
I honestly thought about that all. And it was a decision to come home because, like I said, my mother was by herself. It was just a lot of other things that were drawing me here. But if I would have opened it in New York, yes, because literally
00:20:45
Speaker
That's what New York is about. It's culture all day, 24-7, you know? So I think it would have been different. And if I wanted to have a cool giraffe or maybe a Nas or a Kerris one, whomever, it's probably easier for me to get them to come through in New York than get them in Chicago. So it has been seven years. And what is success? Do you consider yourself a successful coffee entrepreneur or are you still on the way?
00:21:15
Speaker
It's a two-fold. To be quite honest with you, yes, I do consider myself successful because I literally jumped out of the window. And I had no, I'd never worked in coffee. I didn't know anything about machines. I had a lot of stuff going on in my life, but that's kind of how I roll. So I do consider it a success that seven years later,
00:21:40
Speaker
I've been able to build this brand, which of course is also birthed more than Melissa. I mean, I consider financially that's, that's the big killer right there, but I can, I can lay my head down at night. I get cards from people. I get, you know, um, referrals where it's like, Oh my God, Melissa, thank you so much. I love this experience and keep going. And I mean, you can't buy that. You can't buy that kind of love, you know?
00:22:07
Speaker
I know I'm doing something that resonates with people. It's just in this kind of world where everything is so fast and quick, you know, I'm a home cooked meal versus fast food. I consider myself somewhat successful and people know me like, and it's great. They don't just know me in the city. They know me in different parts. Hopefully more, hopefully I'll do a global tour, but yeah.
00:22:32
Speaker
Now I just need to get some money so I can stay alive, stay open and do more things. Because I mean, I really want, for instance, Mickey, if you couldn't come, I want you to be able, I like to say I'm the Martha Stewart that meets Supreme because if I can't come to you, I want to be able to, you can't come to me, I want to be able to come to you. So housewares, coffee stories, products.
00:22:55
Speaker
collaborations, partnerships, you know, I've been really trying to kind of get people's attention. It's very hard, though, because I'm not an influencer. I reach people in a completely different way. But yes, I would consider myself fairly successful. It's good that not everybody is an influencer, right? Otherwise, really, everybody will be busy making content instead of drinking a coffee. So can I picture what will happen in seven years?
Future Aspirations and Brand Expansion
00:23:25
Speaker
I have no idea, Miki. I mean, I'm hoping that everybody's busy is really turned into... It's not about even a franchise, because at the end of the day, I realized I'm the brand, the brand is me. I can go on the road because it's all me. I'm the energy. So I'm really hoping that I can sort of be a consultant, like a creative consultant.
00:23:49
Speaker
But for the long game, for some of these brands, coffee brands, it could be furniture brands, it could be, it's, you know, stuff, things that I buy. Like, I like to say, I'm a customer always. And that's how I approach everything. I'm a customer. I'm not an owner, I'm a customer. I'm just on the other side. I have the key, but I'm really hoping to have made some money. I'm hoping to maybe have a bigger studio.
00:24:15
Speaker
I'm hoping to continually make more and more impact on people's days and lives and things. And I'm hoping, like I said, to be kind of known, not the United States, but just globally, you know, where I can just say, hey, Mickey, I'm coming out there. I want to do a takeover. Hang out. We're going to have some good cup of coffee. But it's just that energy, you know?
00:24:37
Speaker
Sounds cool. Um, right. Money is always a problem. And there's never enough of it. So let's assume you have more investment coming in and you what was what would be the first thing you want to do?
00:24:53
Speaker
Pay the rent for a year. Pay the rent and utilities for a year so I don't have to worry about that. I have a lot of ideas, but pay the rent, utilities, definitely take care of some things at home, travel. Like I said, I am the brand. I don't need to roll with anything. Go to different shops and different places. I'd love to do more panels. Just kind of tell my story and just keep learning.
00:25:22
Speaker
and experiencing, I would have more opportunities to go to Indonesia or whatever and just be like, I'm just chilling with a cup of coffee, their version of coffee. From these seven years, we arrived in your studio special one. What is the biggest lesson you learned? Another twofold. Don't open a coffee shop just because you love coffee. Well, you know what, I learned how to really
00:25:49
Speaker
really keep the faith within myself. And I learned how to really listen to my gut. And I've learned how to be my biggest cheerleader. And yeah, I mean, honestly, that's what's keeping me going. That's just stuff on the wall, but it's the faith. It's the belief. Even when I'm telling somebody, hey, this is what I'm trying to do. And they're like, oh, that's not going to work. OK. All right.
00:26:19
Speaker
I can't listen to you because I have to see for myself, I'm stubborn. I've just really, really have really been able to, like I said, just sort of manage me and my ideas and just trying things and taking risks.
Faith and Authenticity in Business
00:26:34
Speaker
And if it doesn't work out, that's okay too. It's a part of it. It's a roller coaster ride, but being able to just hold on, I mean, that's life.
00:26:43
Speaker
Yeah, if this studio is not just a place where you make and sell coffee or meet your customers, it feels like that is your life.
00:26:55
Speaker
And I'm pretty sure this student means a lot to you. Of course, I asked the question, if you have more money coming in, what would you do first? But let me ask you another way. You have to leave the shop behind. What would you do next in a new life? Well, you know what? OK, the space right now, it works because, like I said, I don't have my own space. I come home and I'm
00:27:25
Speaker
Honestly, if I had to shut it down or if I say if I just closed it up, it's fine because like I said, everything that's in there, I am it.
00:27:37
Speaker
I can go anywhere. I don't need any of that stuff. And like I said, it's way, it's always been bigger than the coffee. So honestly, it never shuts down unless I just, you know, I'm gone. All right. Um, well, there is one to ask because I know that means a lot to you, right? To have this studio, to have it there. Um, but you know, life happens. We don't know what happened. So sometimes maybe you think,
00:28:06
Speaker
very extreme situation that could inspire you to think some new ways to to run your business there. Oh, and that's the thing that's so like, I have a bunch of things in the like the idea of tank. I mean, like I said, it's more about I'm a I'm a concept or I'm a creative. So I would like to
00:28:32
Speaker
it would be lovely to get paid for who I am and my perspective and how I see stuff. And, um, I guess what you would call an influencer, but it's, it's really not. It's just, I like to say I speak for the little guy, you know, and the little guy meaning people who are outliers who just are like, I'm just going to do it with a little bit of money and figure it out. So, I mean, I am an advocate for that. Um,
00:29:00
Speaker
but I definitely think that, I mean, it would be something creative. You know, I don't know if it's film, I don't know if it's photography, I don't know if it's art. I mean, I don't know, like I'm literally every year I grow. The business grows and I grow with the business. So, I mean, hopefully to be not down in my looking, but I don't really, I'd wanna work with other people.
00:29:37
Speaker
a influencer. That's not really a bad word, a good word anymore. But you're on social media, you're on Instagram, it's got everybody's species. You have a really good idea and a good concept there. Do you think Instagram or social media like TikTok or something else can help your business? If some influencers go to your shop and they report it and share with their friends,
00:29:52
Speaker
I mean, I'm working with other people, you know?
00:30:02
Speaker
Yeah, maybe, like I said, I've had some popular people in there and I don't know what happens. It just like crickets, I don't know. And I realized, like I said, my audience is my audience. I'm not trying to make everybody come in there, but I mean, I definitely would probably say if I had some money, I definitely would upgrade my website, make it a little bit more interactive.
00:30:33
Speaker
probably, you know, do more collaborations with photographers because, like I said, I take all the pictures. So I would make it as rich as possible right now. It's as rich as what I can afford, which is me. You know, I don't know how much that would work, but I definitely think it's very much of a hub for like when DJs come in town, when artists come in town, when sports players come in town and they want to
00:31:00
Speaker
drink coffee or just have a break from Chicago and not deal with anybody, that's really a great place for them. And that's kind of where I think I'm going. It's also a place to have conversations and it's also a place to show little, I'm a documentary buff, so it's a place for a lot of different things. But yes, I guess an influencer actually doing something that would influence
00:31:26
Speaker
not just standing there and taking a picture. It's like they're actually present. Most people take pictures in the beginning and they don't post them until they leave. I don't know how you translate being present. Right. Just don't get too busy with your phone. Yes, exactly. Exactly. I guess you don't provide Wi-Fi, right? I mean, I do, but it's like you don't need it because you do that all day long. Put it down. You really don't need it.
00:31:56
Speaker
I mean, and I don't have to tell you, you don't need it. It happens when they come, when people come in, it's like, we're talking, we're laughing, we're learning different stuff. And since you take photos, you're good at music, you make great coffee too. So why don't you be the guy who can make this happen, right? It reminds me someone I was a American Korean girl, Nadia.
00:32:25
Speaker
She makes videos, she creates content about coffee, but it's not about coffee. She talks about mental health, a lot of topics. So coffee is a channel that where, or it's a platform where she performs
00:32:44
Speaker
And somehow, she just got a lot of followers, and everybody knows her now. We had podcasts with her when she had 7,000 followers, and now she has 141k, which is too much. Congratulations. Sometimes we think we love coffee too much, then we don't want to have too many other things involved in our cup of coffee. And I feel we are a little bit
00:33:14
Speaker
We're limiting our opportunities to reach out to a wider audience. I don't know, since everybody loves music, right? I hope. Why don't you make coffee when you don't have your customers there and then talk about music.
00:33:32
Speaker
I do. And here's the thing. I've tried and I'm still open to whatever. I'm working on podcasts. Like I said, it's just me. So I'm trying to formulate and do these quick little snacks and tell interesting stories that I have in my bald my head.
00:33:52
Speaker
I am, you know, I do a playlist. I used to do a playlist with the menus. So the menus I would put together for every month, they were kind of like, they're inspired by the source magazine and I would pay homage to artists that inspired me. And also hoping that it would push people to be like, oh my God, I've never heard of this person. Who is this? You know, so the menu would come out each month and then I would make a playlist that would go with the menu. You know, I mean, I've done various things. It's all on Spotify.
00:34:22
Speaker
I mean, I'm now like, I'm leaning more into like, I hate to use the word sneaker head, but I love sneakers because heels just aren't practical. You know, I've been wearing sneakers for years, even like trying to sort of be current, but not be inauthentic. I mean, cause I come to work and my sneakers are clean.
00:34:44
Speaker
I'm going to make coffee, but I'm also going to be fresh. My hair's going to be done. My nails are going to be done. I mean, whether somebody shows up or not. And that's just me taking care of me. And when people do come in there and they're like, oh, man, OK, cool. You know, that's kind of like I said, organically, you just kind of be like, oh, wow, she's ready. And it's like, I'm ready.
00:35:06
Speaker
We're ready and we're drinking coffee, so we're really ready. But yes, I keep trying. I mean, I'm open to pro bono help until I get that money. I really want to visit there.
00:35:19
Speaker
I think your place is very unique and special, like nothing that I've been to. I just don't know how to make a thing, how to share your place with others, right? Because there is a physical location. What if people don't have to really fly to Chicago to have a chat with you about life through coffee, music, or sneakers? But maybe we could do it online, can we?
00:35:45
Speaker
Yeah, no. I mean, like I said, I'm definitely, as you know, I don't have a team. I'm open to things. I'm tired of doing everything by myself. So I'm definitely open to that. You know, like I said, too, making products. Like I have my little kid and play cup and saucer set, and that's like an homage to the Jordan 3 Siemens, the black and the white one, but also kid and play. It's hip hop.
00:36:06
Speaker
Those are things that I've made and I want to get in people's homes, and it comes with a playlist. So even though we haven't had conversation, it's a piece of me that you've purchased. It's a story involved. Yeah, I mean, I know everybody can't come. That's why I want to come to everybody. I want to say to the audience, if anybody has some great ideas, please share.
00:36:31
Speaker
And I'm pretty sure Melissa wants to know. Um, I'm still thinking about the whole thing about this. Everybody's busy and what a place it could be like. Honestly, I can't describe it. I mean, you can ask anybody and it's like anybody who's been there, it's like you have to go. And I know that that's hard in this kind of day and age.
The Essence of Experience Over Coffee
00:36:51
Speaker
Um, but it's just really, like I said, it's energy, you know, it's when you know, when you go somewhere and you just feel good.
00:36:57
Speaker
and you feel safe and you feel taken care of and you just, you know, it's not transactional. I'm really trying to, I wish my, the brands that I support, you know, the Lamazokos and the, and the Kintos and the Haros, like I would love to do like drops with them, small projects, because there are a lot of people like me, we just don't have a voice. Cause we're not in the streets like that. And I think that's okay if you're not in, everybody can't be in the streets. Some people have to be at home.
00:37:26
Speaker
Right. Unfortunately, we live in the world where winners take all, take everything. Right. And I'm thinking in order to meet you, to have a coffee there, it costs $20, right? Yeah. So what is included?
00:37:43
Speaker
Well, to be quite honest with you, Mickey, actually that's very, very low. I always get people saying you need to pay more. Like I said, it's energy. You're getting a cup of coffee. You don't have to think about anything. It's bodega style. I'm going to put the cream of sugar. I only use oat milk. I use Onyx because I have a coffee with them.
00:38:01
Speaker
Um, it's a, it's a, um, what do you call it? A two-ply coffee, double wall coffee. So it ain't hot. Like, you know, to hold, so you don't need extra sleeve. I mean, what you get is you get it to visit. What would happen is before I had the studio and people would come and get coffee from me, they would stay like a long time. And I realized, Oh, you're not really coming for the coffee. You're coming to talk to me.
00:38:27
Speaker
And I didn't realize I was a personality until people made me realize that. And so I went kind of like, it was normally just like $6, $10, whatever. And then when I started doing coffee, like this collab with Jimmy, the big face, and his coffee was expensive. And I was like, well, you know what?
00:38:46
Speaker
I'm just going to make it a flat 20 and you come up here, you know, it's my time. You have the cups. I mean, you do get so much more. I cannot explain it. Probably that's like the price of going to the movies. A lot of things happen. And like I said, people leave. They are feeling some kind of way. They don't feel taken advantage of. They feel like they've added. They feel a part of something and I'm, you know, hot. I don't know how to do that. That just happens.
00:39:13
Speaker
I know I have a friend who is going to Chicago soon. Okay. So I will give him a task. Yes. Give him a job. Okay. Give him a job. I'm going to share a website. Go there. Be busy. But you're not. You're actually like, you're just, you're chilling. I mean, honestly, my, my, my website is cool, but my Instagram is kind of where I'm mostly interactive and I talk and I, I don't just talk about coffee. I show like ideas and design and
00:39:42
Speaker
inspiration and quotes. And like I said, it's just every day. It's what's in a day. All right. Instagram used to be a place where it can share a passion or interest, but now it seems that's a place where people are becoming influencers. Everybody's influencer now, right? Everybody's piece. Everybody's influencer. That's kind of insane. They are. Everybody's photographer. Everybody's a DJ. I know everybody does everything.
00:40:06
Speaker
Oh, sometimes the thing is a bit too much. We're on Instagram, but it seems, well, if you do coffee, you have to be there. Yeah. Um, have you tried TikTok? You know what I did, I have, and I just, I stopped and then I just got back on a few weeks ago and I uploaded some videos and it did not take, so I've got to like re look at that. I have some stuff up, which is basically my last copy that I released through Onyx.
00:40:36
Speaker
called bungalow. So I was trying to tell that story. But like I said, nothing's easy, right? Even people think become an influencer easy. But I know that most of the guys just spent hundreds of thousand hours creating content and don't get traffic at all. So right.
00:40:57
Speaker
I think we'll have to get Jimmy back and his team. Yeah, I would love to. Um, and hopefully he will when he plays Chicago. Um, cause I know he loves Chicago. Um, but yeah, I mean, and not just Jimmy, I'm like, Jimmy, it tells them other people. Like I said, it's, it's, it's definitely a space for, I don't know, for, for peace. It's a space for peace. And it's a, it's a, it's a break from the city.
00:41:26
Speaker
because you're not on your phone. You're literally just sitting down and actually socializing with a stranger.
00:41:32
Speaker
Yesterday, I was at a new coffee shop in the city I'm living in. And I had a chat with the owner. And she started her coffee shop five years ago. And she's opening her fourth now. Oh, wow. And I have no idea how she could make this happen even during the three years pandemic in China. That's insane.
00:41:59
Speaker
And I think everybody is just really busy there because everybody's checking their phone. They have a lot of customers. Every single customer is checking their phone. They don't even drink the coffee. I think your student has a completely different vibe there. Yeah.
00:42:16
Speaker
They're drinking the coffee. And even people who are like, oh, I don't like coffee. I don't drink coffee. And I'm like, well, let me just let me just try it. And you're like, oh, I'm like, yeah, coffee does not have to taste like I don't know what you've been drinking, but there's various coffees.
00:42:31
Speaker
if you really want to do that, you don't have to just drink tea. And so it's also kind of an experimental lab for people where it's like, I might have not just my own coffee, but I might have several other coffees because I do buy other coffees. I treat coffee like music and I might say, OK, we'll try pour over, even though you had a latte, but you're like, man, I wonder what a matcha tastes like. OK, I'll make it for you. It's really just I'm just paying it forward. Well, talking about coffee, I know that you probably don't roast coffee yourself, right? No, I respect the roaster, though.
00:43:07
Speaker
I want to know what's on your menu. I stopped doing menus almost a year ago because I just got tired of it. And I realized people, it wasn't really for the people. It was for me to show up and be entertained. Right now, if you come in there, I will make you an Americano.
00:43:26
Speaker
I will make you a latte. And I use ghost town oats, sometimes oatly, whatever. It's either that, I haven't used minor figures yet, but I might take that chance. I might make you a pullover. Usually it might be my coffee. Like I said, I have two coffees with Onyx, one called Hushacha, which is a tribute to Biggie. And the second one is called Bungalow, which is a tribute to Chicago style bungalows. And also the house I grew up in and a tribute to my grandmothers.
00:43:55
Speaker
So you might have that, you might have some big face, you might have some Manhattan roasters, like it depends on how I'm feeling, you know? But it's, or you might, I might, you know, if I really kind of like you, I'll make you a matcha. Have you met any customer that don't want any of those coffee you just talk about? I don't know what I want, but I want something
00:44:19
Speaker
Different. Yeah. Different from what you just said. Yeah. And I make them what I want. It becomes dealer's choice. That's the thing. It's a trust thing. It's like when I go sit at a bar, if they have all these types of gins and bourbons, but they're the professional, I usually ask, well, what do you like to drink? Well, make me like something you would drink. You know, it's a trust thing because I just want to see. So usually it is. It's a dealer's choice where, you know what, I know what you need and I'll make you a latte or
00:44:47
Speaker
I got you. I'm gonna make you a Americano. Actually, I'm gonna pour it over some ice. You know, it's, I don't make it complicated. It's a drink. Like, we don't you that's these other places are for that razzamatazz, which is fine. I'm just I don't have time for that. I'm actually busy. Let's make some coffee and sit down. You know, once you're in there, I got you. I'm not it's not like I'm trying to push it down your throat, but it's like I just want you to try it. What is the weirdest customer?
00:45:15
Speaker
you've ever had, if you remember. You know, I'll say this, maybe half, I will say this honestly, through all the years, let's just say I'm the captain and I, and when you get on my ship, we don't have no problems. And that's kind of what happens in there. Like people come in and they know the boundaries and the respect and like you feel it. And I've never met even people who like, they're like timid or whatever.
00:45:46
Speaker
They end up being comfortable. So I've never really had like a jerk. I don't even, I don't even allow that in there. Like you're not, you're not coming in here to be a jerk or to have a bad idea. That's going to happen here. You're not coming in here for $20 to come upstairs, come in the elevator.
00:46:02
Speaker
No, you're not doing that. So I do, as much as I have a love-hate relationship with people, I'm very good with people because I'm used to being and taking care of people. When I worked on set, you're dressing actors and stars and da, da, da, da, da, da. So you, you know, you've kind of picked certain things up. And it's also good to learn how to deal with different types of people. I mean, that's art. It's an art, but it's important.
00:46:26
Speaker
I want to say audience, make sure she can visit the Middle East and have a chat and challenge her vibe there. Be a bad customer. I think to create more interesting stories, it will have content on social media.
00:46:43
Speaker
Thanks for tuning in to this I'm Not A Barista episode. Subscribe to this podcast and follow us on Instagram at I Am Not A Barista for more empowering vibes and true coffee stories that connect you with coffee lovers around the world. You're a part of our global community where we celebrate baristas and their craft in everything that we do.