This Is the Story of Coffee Break Cafe

If you told my 16-year-old self that I’d one day co-own a cafe—serving matcha lattes, blasting music, chatting with locals, and curating art—I would’ve laughed and sketched it out in a comic. But here I am at 26, living a dream that’s been quietly brewing for years. Coffee Break Cafe is more than just coffee. It’s a love letter to the things that shaped me: art, community, hard work, and most importantly—family. I’m the second generation of an immigrant family and the daughter of the most quietly courageous man I know. My father came to this country with grit and hope, working long hours without complaint. Opening this cafe with him—his first business—has been one of the most meaningful chapters of my life. Watching him take pride in something he built from the ground up fills me with gratitude. I worked in cafes growing up to make ends meet. At first, it was just a job, but I fell in love with the rhythm of the barista life—the espresso hum, the morning chaos, the quiet joy of crafting someone's perfect drink. It became a form of care. And deep down, I knew I wanted to create a space of my own. But my first passion? Always art. I’ve carried sketchbooks since I was a kid, especially drawn to cartoon-style drawings—emotive, messy, honest. My characters were my diary. I still draw daily and plan to bring them to our cafe walls soon. Coffee Break merges both of my worlds: coffee and creativity. It’s a platform for local artists, with rotating artwork on our walls—100% of sales go to them. We’re also planning live music nights—sometimes a full band, sometimes just someone with a keyboard and big feelings. On weekends, we’d love to host book clubs, sketch circles, language swaps, mindfulness meetups—anything that brings people together. Got an idea? Let us know. We’re all ears (and coffee). I love this neighborhood and the stories that walk through our doors every day. I just want to add a little light—one cup, one smile, one doodle at a time. I try to bring a little light to people’s days, whether through a perfectly poured cappuccino, a silly doodle on their drink sleeve, or just remembering their name. That kind of care matters—it did for me growing up, and it still does now. We’re all craving connection these days. A smile. A warm drink. A space to belong. I want Coffee Break Cafe to be that space.