A new coffee shop is in town; some say it’s better than Starbucks, right across the street. Introducing In-House Coffee, a family-owned coffee shop with homemade coffee and baked goods. Moving from Worcester, Massachusetts, John and Julia Aldarawcheh create a new and comforting environment for all customers at their coffee shop.
They moved from Massachusetts to California mainly because of the beautiful weather. Aldarawcheh loves the outdoors, and in Massachusetts, it is very gray and primarily cold year-round. So, when they visited California in the winter, they loved how sunny and beautiful it was.
“The nature, beautiful beaches, and hikes stole my heart in California,” Aldarawcheh states. Being able to enjoy the warm and nice weather, without humidity, throughout the year was a significant factor for them.
Prior to starting In-house in 2008, the Aldarawchehs’ had a business together twenty years prior. Being a baker for thirty-five, the husband helped them decide that they wanted to open a coffee house together.
At first, they had a donut shop, then decided to transition into a coffee shop.
They experiment when trying to develop new recipes; sometimes, it stems from customers’ ideas. But the experience does come in handy in what they know should and should not mix well together. Aldarawcheh advises to always just try new things.
One big difference that the Aldarawchehs notice is how different the taste palette is here versus on the East Coast. “Certain items we weren’t selling in [Massachusetts], we are selling here, so right now we are just trying to adjust and understand what the people like here,” Aldarawcheh explains. Another difference is just educating customers on how they do everything as well.
The couple doesn’t mind being close to a Starbucks; they both like competition. She explains that In-House and Starbucks have enough friends to share. They know that their recipes differ from Starbucks, so whatever a person wants to try, there are options if one shop doesn’t work out for them. Mrs. Aldarawcheh also explains that businesses back in Boston or New York are right next door to each other, so every company has its own share of friends to offer.
They also have observed that people here like to try new things, versus in Massachusetts, where people mostly stick to their regular items. They both want to try and experiment with new things, so that’s a factor they love about the people in California. “We are like in perfect harmony; we want to bring something new, and the people always want to try it,” she added.
One thing about In-House Coffee is that everything that the Aldarawchehs make is always fresh. Compared to many other food places that don’t use fresh ingredients, at In-House Coffee, fresh ingredients are highly prioritized.
They also ensure that all the coffee beans, syrups, and espresso shots are of the best quality and flavor in the market, as quality is essential to them. The Aldarawchehs test everything new and find out the best products to bring to the table. “What makes a good recipe is good products, good ingredients. You want to ensure everything, even sugar when baking, is the best quality,” Aldarawcheh states.
At In-House, they focus their attention on the needs of their customers and genuinely care about each person coming into their coffee house. Everyone likes their drinks differently; sometimes, it entails more than just what is on the menu. “When you really have to concentrate and constantly think and process each drink, you listen carefully to the needs of the customer, then create that specific recipe for the person,” she explains. After the drink is served, they always encourage customers to just taste the drink and see if they like it, dislike it, or want anything added in. For the Aldarawchehs’ and their staff, it is how they genuinely get to know their customers. Then, over time, they immediately know their likes and dislikes after getting to know their customers.
The environment the Aldarawchehs try to create at their coffee house is welcoming, friendly, and just feeling appreciated. “I want everyone to feel when they come here that we really care for them because we do; I want to really deliver that feeling,” she answered.
They understand that when coming to a place of business, customers spend their money; they want to feel like the spent money was worth it, and they come out happy and satisfied, that customers would look forward to coming back.
Mrs. Aldarawcheh prioritizes getting to know her customers personally, what is going on with the customers’ lives, and showing genuine interest. She states that their mission is, “We want this coffee house to be your house away from home.”
