Coffee lovers are always seeking the next best spot to score a good cup of joe. One local couple has made it their goal to provide that to the people who simply love coffee. Ana Herrera-Perez and Saul Perez own and operate Casita Coffee, which is a specialty Latin inspired coffee house on wheels.
The couple, who are the parents to two little boys, are Gilbert residents and this is their way of showcasing love for the community where they live. “We both were working our corporate careers when we started this business,” shares Ana. “We love spending time as a family, traveling, exploring, and supporting the local community.”
Casita Coffee is the incorporation of modern drinks with a touch of Latin inspired flavors. “At Casita we love to share our creativity by carefully curating unique and trendy drinks,” says Ana. “One thing that sets Casita apart is being able to craft our own syrups or making our own beverage from scratch, such as Horchata latte, Café de Olla, Blue Churro, Spanish latte, etc. Our goal is to continue providing specialty coffee while still sharing known flavors from our culture without an insane amount of sugar.”
For the couple, Casita is more than just coffee, but also a place where they aim to bring community together, inspire others who dream of opening their own business and a place where they can meet with loved ones. It basically brings together their love of coffee and community. “We love coffee and we have always enjoyed supporting local coffee shops. The ambiance and the connection it brings to people,” says Ana. “Coffee is the bridge to the community.”
For Ana and Saul, it was pretty natural to turn their love of coffee into a reality of a business venture. They often spent their time visiting local coffee shops and sipping coffee, all while having great conversations with one another and with friends and family. “We believe coffee is more than just coffee, it is community, unity, and connection,” shares Ana. “Coffee brings people together. During travel, you can always find us visiting a local coffee shop. We truly enjoy conversing with our customers and being part of people’s morning routine.”
One of the benefits of running and owning Casita Coffee is that the couple gets to spend more time as a family while doing something that they love. While the hours can be odd sometimes because Casita is open on the weekends, Ana says they love the flexibility it allows them to enjoy family time. “We love that we can come up with ideas together for the business or on new drinks we are thinking of releasing. We love that we can be home and suddenly communicate an idea we have for a drink or for the business.”
When it comes to working with your spouse, Ana has this advice. “First, set boundaries. Make sure that you communicate and discuss boundaries that you will set when operating a business together.” She also suggests having strong communication skills, dividing tasks and workload, and balancing your life, making sure to separate business from personal life.
If you are looking at where you can find Casita Coffee, they can be found at several locations around Gilbert. They are at the Gilbert Farmer’s Market every Saturday, in downtown Gilbert every Sunday, the Gilbert Public School District office usually once a week and the surrounding area on weekdays. You can always find their schedule posted on Instagram and Facebook. They can also be hired for special events including weddings, employee appreciation events, baby showers, and others.
