The business behind your daily brew is harder and more rewarding than the owners ever imagined.
David Opsvig and Liz Alcarez, baristas at Iron & Kin Coffee Co., prepare handcrafted coffee for customers. The coffee shop is known for its unique affirmation lattes that have creative ingredients. The name “Kin” represents family and friends, and “Iron” references the tools and process used to make the coffee. Open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., 536 W. First St., Claremont. / photo by CC Flaherty
by Tatiana Foor
photography by CC Flaherty
What does it take to turn a business idea into a crowded thriving coffee shop that can survive on $5 lattes and the unpredictable spending habits of college students? The answer is not as simple as making good coffee and hoping people show up. For local shop owners in Claremont and La Verne, success means understanding everything from profit margins to social media marketing, while also creating spaces where students actually want to spend their time and money.
Opening a coffee shop near the University of La Verne campus might seem like a guaranteed success, given how the campus community relies on caffeine to survive the college lifestyle. But experienced owners know that the reality is way more complex. The costs add up fast, the competition is intense in a highly saturated market, and one slow season can make or break your business.
The Indonesian inspired coffee found here matches the name “Nambah,” Indonesian slang meaning add, gain or give. The owners strive to put both people and coffee first. The shop holds a relaxing atmosphere that is welcoming to those working or studying. Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Sunday, 2232 D St., La Verne. / photo by CC Flaherty
Nambah Coffee Co.
2232 D. St., La Verne
For Maharasya Hanza and Tyrone Rudulph, owners of Nambah Coffee Co. in La Verne, the journey into coffee shop ownership came from a desire for stability after years as a professional musician. “I spent most of my professional life as a corporate singer, a musician and just a performer,” Hanza says. Around age 30, she wanted something more predictable than the ups and downs of music gigs. “I wanted to plant a seed for my family,” she explains. “I wanted to pass on the information and the knowledge to my nieces and my nephews—and hopefully our future children—on how to build their own business, build something from the bottom up, have that financial education.”
The name Nambah itself carries meaning. It is an Indonesian word, short for “menambah,” which means to add or gain something. “The idea for us is that anytime people come in, their experience with us would mean they leave with something more,” Hanza says. “Whether they are being blessed, whether it’s coffee or conversation – we just want them to feel like they have gained something from the experience.”
Nambah started as a pop-up cart in 2021, she says, with their coffee appearing at area events. Then Hanza says the couple spotted an opportunity in 2022. Cactus Coffee, a local shop she knew well from growing up in La Verne, was selling. “As soon as the shop became available, I saw the patio, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that has to be Cactus Coffee. It’s a great location. It has so much potential,'” Hanza says. She took a leap of faith and bought it. “The moment they closed, we literally opened the next day. I didn’t want to waste a single day.”
The decision to keep the existing layout rather than immediately renovating saved the owners from a costly mistake. Hanza initially wanted to spend $40,000 to $50,000 on buildout—tearing down walls, completely redesigning the counter space and flow. But senior business owners gave her crucial advice: Do not spend money on buildout in your first year. Instead, Hanza made small improvements over time, spending about $40,000 over 3.5 years on necessary repairs and equipment replacements rather than dropping the money all at once.
A beckoning “to go” cup of coffee sums up the La Verne Nambah Coffee Co. motto: “Coffee, Wine, Social.” / photo by CC Flaherty
The gradual approach taught her something valuable about the community’s support. “In my mind, I thought people will like it and enjoy the space when everything is perfect,” she says. “But in not taking that approach, we were actually able to see the community support us and fall in love with us over time, even with all the imperfections.”
Like other shops near campus, Nambah’s customer base shifts with the academic calendar. About 40% of customers are students, with locals making up most of the rest. Beyond serving coffee, the shop has also become known for its live music events held in the evenings. Having a background in music made it natural for Hanza and Rudulph to reach out to musician friends. “Artists are always looking for a platform to showcase their music,” she explains. Rudulph says the two rely on their friends and former classmates to perform. The events require significant work: booking artists, designing posters, managing social media promotion through their social media manager Brian, and completely rearranging the space. During these evening events, they serve beer and wine. “We pretty much flip the room. We take furniture out; we just rearrange everything,” she says.
What surprised Hanza most about ownership was not the financial management or creative aspects she expected. “It is way more than that. It’s a lot of relationship managing.” With a team of 12 baristas, she spends significant time investing in each person. “Everyone’s different. There’s 12 people, different personalities, different ways of working—different ways of taking information and learning and processing information. If you want your operations to go well, you have to know how to communicate those things to them in order for them to feel inspired and for them to know that they’re able to do the job excellently.”
Hanza holds high standards for hospitality. She wants every customer to feel acknowledged, respected and treated with kindness. “So, it’s a lot of communication and reminding our team that they already are all those things. We just have to maintain it and be that every day,” says Hanza. The teambuilding aspect was not something she anticipated, but it is become central to how Nambah operates.
Looking back, Hanza says she has learned the most about hiring—understanding which personalities and characteristics build a strong team that upholds the culture she is trying to create. And she’s learned not to stress over everything. “In a small business, things always happen,” she says. “We approach everything with professionalism, with excellence, and with as much ease as possible because it’s a long journey.”
At Iron & Kin Coffee Co., in Claremont, customers can purchase coffee bean bags of their different flavors, plus themed hats and t-shirts. / photo by CC Flaherty
Iron & Kin Coffee Co.
536 W First St., Claremont (in the packing house)
For Joshua Avila, the founder of Iron & Kin Coffee Co., in Claremont, the journey started in 2016 with his brother-in-law as a pop-up coffee shop. The name itself reflects their partnership— “iron” representing two different pieces of steel sharpening each other, and “kin” representing family. “We’re both super different,” Avila explains. “He’s really outgoing, very spontaneous, and I’m more rigid and very methodical in the way I do things.” Though his brother-in-law eventually moved on, Avila kept the name and built something that goes deeper than its origin story. “That ethos kind of stuck with us,” Avila says. “The name really means we’re all human; we’re all the same type as humans, and our differences can make us better.”
But Iron & Kin did not start from some massive investment or detailed business plan. Avila fell in love with coffee after trying a fruity Ethiopian blend that tasted like blueberries and chocolate. And what really drew him in, though, was the community aspect of local coffee shops. “People greet each other by their names. They’re like, ‘Hi, Tati,’ or ‘Hi, Josh,’ or ‘Hi, Rachel.’ I had never experienced that,” Avila says. That sense of belonging became the foundation for what Iron & Kin is today.
The business side, however, is less romantic. When it comes to staying profitable, the numbers are tight. Avila breaks down the margins. “Rent should be 10% or lower of what your revenue is. Your labor should be around 25 to 30%, and then the cost of goods should stay around 30%,” “Most coffee shops operate at like a 10% profit margin, which is not a lot.”
That 10% margin means there is very little room for error. One bad month, unexpected equipment repairs, or a slow season can wipe out profits quickly. For Iron & Kin’s business growth, it was roughly 50/50. Half the budget went to equipment and the other half to their aesthetic vibe. The shop benefited from taking over an existing coffee shop space in 2020, which saved significant money on construction costs. “We bootstrapped it,” Avila says. “We had a very, very small budget. So, we did our best to kind of reface the existing coffee shop.” Since then, Avila is currently reinvesting in the space. The back bar is recently renovated. Now, work has begun on the seating area.
Social media is crucial for small business survival. Iron & Kin now have a team member dedicated to managing their online presence. “A lot of times, social media is the face of your business. People don’t know you; they’re going to look at it and be like, ‘I want to see how this place looks,’ and if it looks like they want to be there, then they’re going to come,” Avila says.
The student population brings its own challenges. During the academic year, students—from the Claremont Colleges and the University of La Verne—make up about 40% of Iron & Kin’s customers, but when they leave for breaks, locals fill the gap. “When the students are here, less of the locals come,” Avila says. “And then when the students are gone, it’s more like 70% or 80% local people. The shop stays busy during finals season, then quiets down over summer, but not drastically.”
What surprised Avila most about ownership? “I feel like owning a coffee shop is super romanticized, and everyone wants to open a coffee shop,” he says. “People think that you’re going to make a lot of money. Coffee has high margins. That’s not the case. It’s really about people and systems.” He says he did not realize how much impact a coffee shop could have on the community, or how important having strong values and culture would be for success.
Steven and Adrianna Solis combined their passion for motorcycles and cars at Rev’d Up Coffee & Classics and opened it on Route 66 in Claremont. The shop has a unique atmosphere that welcomes both coffee lovers, classic car and motorcycle lovers. The Solises serve premium coffee as well as food. A “Cars & Coffee” meet up comes on the last Sunday of every month. Open from 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday through Sunday, 212 W. Foothill Blvd., Claremont. / photo by CC Flaherty
Rev’d Up Coffee & Classics
212 W Foothill Blvd., Claremont
Rev’d Up Coffee took a completely different path. Co-founder Adrianna Solis and her husband Steven Solis were owners of Revolution Salon. But when an antique shop a few doors away went out of business, they walked in during the closing sale and just felt something. “We immediately just felt a crazy vibe that we felt just needed to be a coffee shop. The A-frame was everything. The lighting in the place— it called to us,” Adrianna says. That same day, they decided to turn it into a hot rod and motorcycle-themed coffee shop on the old Route 66. The shop is adorned with themed signage and other accoutrements of this avocation. They have since expanded to a second location in Glendora, on Glendora Avenue.
For the Rev’d Up owners, the biggest expenses are straightforward: “Payroll and product costs are the most expensive part of the business,” Adrianna says. Pricing drinks requires constant attention to market value and their own costs. “If our cost goes up, then we have to charge a little more.” The work behind the scenes is intense with “product ordering, inventory, scheduling, payroll, designing, managing . . . a little stress and a ton of love is being poured into this place every day,” she says.
Adrianna points out how she wishes students understood just how much effort goes into every detail. “It’s so much work and so much planning and so much thought that has to go into every little thing every day. It’s very rewarding work, and we love it, but it’s definitely a ton of work to get where we have gotten to.” She says that the shop took about three years to gain steady business. In the beginning, she and her husband opened and closed the shop most days. “He sacrificed a lot, but it definitely pushed us to be in the best position that we are in now. I would definitely encourage others to open a coffee shop. But I would let them know they need to be dedicated and not let slow days discourage them.”
What separates thriving shops from those that struggle? According to these owners, it is understanding both sides of every transaction. Students see community spaces where they can study for hours while sipping great drinks. Students also see aesthetic presentations perfect for social media, and personal service that chains cannot match. Owners see rent payments, supply costs that change weekly, and the constant pressure to innovate without destroying already tight budgets. Every design choice, from cozy seating to wall decorations, represents calculated business decisions and not just aesthetic preferences.
These local coffee shops show that running a successful business requires understanding your customers while also managing all the behind-the-scenes logistics most people never think about. It is not just about making good coffee; It is about building something that can survive slow months, changing seasons and intense competition, all while creating a space that makes people feel like they belong.
Automotive memorabilia lines the walls of Rev’d Up Coffee & Classics on Foothill Boulevard in Claremont. / photo by CC Flaherty
Ten Shops Within Two Miles
These great coffee shops are close to ULV.
When you think “coffee near campus,” your mind probably thinks about the obvious spots. But there are many sources for excellent coffee. Some are conventional, and some are a bit more of a surprise.
The Craft Coffee Spots:
• Nambah Coffee Co., 2232 D St., La Verne: Local favorite with live music events.
• French Press Espresso Bar, 3836 Emerald Ave., La Verne: Quality coffee in a French-themed shop.
• MUGS Coffee Roasters, 2095 Foothill Blvd. Coffee with your morning bagel.
• Beverage House, 2224 D St., La Verne: A gem known to many students.
The Chains:
Starbucks, 1181 Foothill Blvd., La Verne: Consistent and convenient coffee.
• Panera Bread, 2315 Foothill Blvd., La Verne: Their sip club is great for unlimited coffee.
• Barbara’s Place, ULV’s Abraham Campus Center: Reliable Starbucks coffee for students.
The Unexpected Winners:
• McDonald’s, 2269 Foothill Blvd., La Verne: Underrated coffee! Try the iced caramel macchiato and use the app for discounts that make it cheaper than most places.
• Miss Donuts and Bagels, 2082 Bonita Ave., La Verne: Solid coffee to pair with your donut.
• Shell Gas Station, 1947 D. St.: Open 24 hours—when you need caffeine during the super early or super late hours, they are there for you.
• In-N-Out, 2098 Foothill Blvd., La Verne: Yes, they have coffee! Convenient and inexpensive coffee.
Tatiana Foor is a senior communications major with a concentration in public relations, and a staff writer for La Verne Magazine. She has also served as a staff writer for the Campus Times.
CC Flaherty is a staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine, and a junior communications major with a concentration in public relations. She is also a broadcast announcer for La Verne Athletics and has previously been a staff writer for the Campus Times.
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