The world’s very first coffee house was opened in Constantinople in 1475, now known as Istanbul. Coffee shops then were used as not only places to drink coffee but also places to gossip, play chess, watch performers, and engage in conversation. Coffee was just as much a part of life back then as it is now but coffee has come a long way since then.
A coffee business called Hannah’s Coffee is a small pop-up coffee shop run by our very own world language teachers Hannah Frasier and Amanda Newburn, and was created by Frasier herself.
When asked over email what made her think of starting her coffee business Frasier responded,
“I’ve always been somewhat of an entrepreneur and I knew I’d do something with business someday. Shout out to JROB for lighting this fire! I had a friend in college who managed a Scooters and roped me into working there. I ended up becoming obsessed with everything coffee; the smell, flavors, and science behind it. My love quickly grew into wanting a mobile coffee shop and now I’m forever improving my craft.”
Frasier has three years in total invested into Hannah’s coffee; she and Newburn took a year to develop recipes and test out local coffee bean companies and have been selling coffee for two years. They sell coffee 3 seasons within the year: over the summer at grad parties and farmers markets, in fall at craft fairs and parties, and in winter at sports or catering events.
“Millard South Craft Fair is usually our most successful. Graduation events are super popular though and we usually end up booking another event from the one we are at,” said Newburn.
According to Frasier, the most popular item sold is caramel lattes, hot or cold, so they are always stocked up on caramel. Not only are caramel lattes sold, but also mocha lattes, vanilla lattes, sugar-free caramel lattes, sugar-free chocolate lattes, and seasonal churro, pumpkin pie, and peppermint lattes. Some non-coffee items sold are hot chocolate, apple cider, root beer floats in the summertime, and also lemonade, with flavors including green apple, strawberry, blue raspberry, peach, passion fruit, and raspberry.
Fraiser’s favorite drink to make is “a bit of a ‘secret menu’ item.”
“I love making caramel and white mocha iced lattes. I definitely prefer cold to hot coffee. Even in the wintertime! I also really enjoy making custom drinks for events and giving them special names. So for example, we catered a graduation party for someone going to KU. We made a custom menu with drink names like Valedictorian vanilla latte, Jayhawk lemonade, and Emma’s special. I love incorporating the people we are celebrating!” Frasier stated.
Right now Hannah’s Coffee is a small pop-up but Frasier said she hopes to turn it into something more. For now, the duo travels to events with all their supplies packed into the back of Newburn or Frasier’s car. Frasier has even considered renovating an old camper or horse trailer and might buy a small food truck to turn her coffee pop-up into a mobile coffee shop.
