FEATURE | Lovers and Coffee: The brewing success of The Grind

April 20, 2024

Written by MARY GRACE B. JUMAQUIO | FEATURE EDITOR

Photo by LOUISE L. DIMAYUGA | SPORTS EDITOR
 

It's true, you'll feel like shaking a hip with every sip of these delicious beverages they offer. Located at 137 E, Gen. Evangelista Street, Bacoor, Cavite, a coffee shop named The Grind has become popular among youngsters due to its "love at first sip" experience. A delicate coffee with a hint of sweetness is owned by a lovely couple named Tyler Chan and Gab Llanos with a heartwarming story behind the coffee shop.

According to them, the name of their store was accidentally inclined with the initials of their name such as Tyler and Gab which seems a perfect harmony of literally grinding beans of coffee and their personal touch.

Tyler and Gab started selling their coffee in their office wherein they offer three flavors. Then, they also strive for the right blend of their coffee until they come up with multiple flavors of coffee.

Later on, they left their job to gradually launch their physical store while sacrificing their hard-earned money for the sake of their aspiration.

Starting off as a vendor, the couple went as far as facing the storm in order to sell their coffee.

"Kami lang yung nagbebenta dati sa baranggay hall na kahit naulan, nabagyo nag-oopen pa din kami," they said in an interview.

Instead of giving-up their business, they embraced resilience, choosing to forge ahead, and standing tall against the storm.

Even the storm couldn't ruin the dreams and hopes of the couple. From 4 AM to 6 PM, the couple opened their shop to sell their coffee, selling at least 25 cups a day, which made the couple feel happy and contented. Yet, due to the rising popularity of The Grind, the couple decided to change the time from 1 PM to 8 PM.

"Mas nakilala kasi talaga kami dun sa bayan, sa may baranggay, so nagiging consistent na halos every day may nakakakilala, ganun," the owner said in an interview.

The couple struggled to find a spot for them to sell their coffee.

And when they finally found one. The challenges the couple had to go through are crucial. Paying their spot for 500PHP a week, the couple not only fear the loss of profit but also the loss of their hopes and dreams of having a successful and welcoming coffee shop for all.

Paying the bills and rent for their place was a struggle for the couple, but instead of giving up, they chose to stand on their own, working tirelessly until they managed to make a profit from the shop.

"Every day magco-commute kami papunta dito, tapos uuwi nanaman after," the owner said in an interview.

They literally grind to survive their business like the coffee that they sell. It comes from the start as the beans that they grind. The coffee they served bore the essence of their struggle, a blend of hard work and determination, with every cup narrating a tale of overcoming challenges.

It's true, once you grind through it, you'll eventually achieve your dreams. Hope and determination make you stronger, just like the couple whose love for each other is as strong as their love for coffee. It's a wonderful yet romantic story of The Grind, a coffee shop that's not just a place to drink coffee, but a place to feel at home.