Co-owner Waqas Ghayas moved from Houston to Philadelphia to open a Yemeni coffee shop with his brother and best friends, planting roots in the City of Brotherly Love.
“One of the biggest moves I’ve ever made is coming from Houston to Philadelphia for this journey,” Ghayas told What Now Philadelphia. “We wanted to do something together and just build a brotherhood. We’ve known each other for a very long time, and we wanted to bring the culture of Yemen here.”
Shibam Coffee will start brewing in Philadelphia’s University City neighborhood at 3748 Lancaster Ave.
This marks the coffee shop’s first Philadelphia outpost. Shibam Coffee operates locations across the United States, including Michigan, Texas, Arizona, Ohio, Georgia and Illinois, as well as in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
“There’s an opportunity where we can be creative, but also take on the Shibam theme. We have mixed and matched based on our taste and what the city of Philadelphia needs. What we’re bringing to the city is something that is unique and different,” Ghayas said.
He continued, “Customer experience really matters. I’m just excited to bring the atmosphere they’re looking for. We’re opening a shop where you can bring your kids. It’s a family environment.”
Ghayas is committed to making the shop a supportive space for his employees.
“We’re all from a corporate background. I know there’s going to be young baristas that are not only looking forward to working with us in the Yemeni coffee shop, but we can also mentor them as far as assistance in their career,” he said.
Shibam Coffee will serve a variety of coffee and espresso drinks, including traditional Yemeni coffee, Turkish coffee, which is unfiltered and brewed from ground beans, and the shop’s house blend, Shibam Coffee. The cafe will also offer teas, refreshers and non-caffeinated drinks such as hot cocoa.
Ghayas said the cafe will offer a pastry menu with savory items to pair with drinks and plans to expand in the future.
“There’s Yemeni bread; it’s called Honeycomb bread. It’s one of the famous ones, as far as savory items goes. In addition to that, we’re thinking about also introducing cold cut sandwiches,” he said.
Shibam Coffee plans to make its debut in mid-February, with cravings set to be satisfied soon. For updates, visit the website or follow along on Instagram.
