EMMAUS, Pa. — For Mandy Siess and Pablo Farnan, the married owners of Let’s Go Coffee Co., the reality drips with irony:
They first met over tea.
But on a cold Friday morning, theirs was about coffee and the grand opening of their stylish coffee shop and gluten-free bakery near the Emmaus Triangle at 359 Main St.
“This is about bringing people together and creating a safe space for them to just sit and have a cup of coffee and baked goods,” said Siess, 33, an Alburtis native who resides in Coopersburg.
“We really love building community. What better way than over a sweet treat and a cup of coffee?”
Added Farnan, 30: “Who doesn’t love coffee in the morning and especially on a day like this? It makes people smile.”
What started from operating a mobile coffee trailer that served folks at community events two years ago and running a bakery in Reading has evolved into a full-fledged business where a former gun shop — Golden Trigger – once operated.
“We really love building community. What better way than over a sweet treat and a cup of coffee?”Mandy Siess, owner, Let's Go Coffee Co.
“I think they’ll do very well here,” said Robert Litzenberger, who owned the gun shop before retiring this year, as he enjoyed a morning coffee in the shop.
“They’re good people and the coffee is very good.”
Steps down, then the aroma
Before a delicious cup of hot coffee goes down, patrons need to first go down — a flight of stairs from the sidewalk to the shop. (Think “Cheers” from TV).
Once inside, customers are welcomed by the intoxicating aroma of fresh brewed coffee and a sound system playing music with a perfect blend of softness and enjoyment.
To the left are merchandise displays of mugs and T-shirts and a display case bursting with gluten-free pastries baked on site by Siess.
Coffee dispensers stand at attention along one side of the main counter. Behind it, espresso, cappuccino, Americano, lattes and iced lattes are prepared to order.
And yes, the menu even includes tea — matcha, a green tea from China — perhaps an homage to the drink of choice on Mandy and Pablo’s very first date.
In the seating area to the right, a design team created a warm, homey atmosphere. Two-, four- and six-seat tables, comfy chairs and a couch are overlooked by framed photographs that hold special significance to the owners.
Among them is a golden-framed painting by Farnan’s Irish-born grandmother that his father brought back from Ireland following the woman’s funeral.
“All these pictures mean something to us,” Siess said.
'I'll be here often'
The opening of the coffee shop fills a void along Main Street given the closing of Nowhere Coffee Co. this year.
“It’s so great that these owners opened this place,” Brenda Geisel of Emmaus said.
“Since the other shop closed, I missed having a spot to just drop in and grab a coffee or maybe just take it on the run.
“I’ll be here often.”
“We wanted to create this quiet, little cozy place where people could come and sit and get away from the world for a while."Mandy Siess, owner, Let's Go Coffee Co.
Even an iced coffee on a cold day can send a customer’s taste buds into convulsions.
Megan Bush took one sip of a hazelnut iced coffee, widened her eyes and said, “Oh, yeah!”
A relationship that began as tea for two has blossomed into a business of coffee and baked goods for all.
As for the business name — Let’s Go Coffee Co. — Siess explained it’s a salute to her and her husband’s love of picking up and heading off on an adventure, whether around the corner or around the country.
But for now, they’re content staying put.
“We wanted to create this quiet, little cozy place where people could come and sit and get away from the world for a while,” Siess said.
Comfort, coffee and conversation.
That fits most folks to a T.
