Coffee and Passion: These Young Entrepreneurs Opened A Coffee Shop In Tagaytay For Creative Entrepreneurs and Coffee Lovers
Slowly hinging “coffee” into Tagaytay’s narrative, these young couple entrepreneurs opened a cafe that elevates the unique coffee experience.
Coffee shops and cafe restaurants are booming and are opening hand over fist everywhere. And every time a store opens, someone would always ask, “How is it different from other coffee shops?” This team of highly passionate and well-versed entrepreneurs realized that customers needed to have a unique coffee experience. “We are coffee enthusiasts and work for different industries. So, having a place where we can enjoy a “good” cup of coffee, while enjoying each other’s company has always been a dream of ours,” said one of the owners, Aaron Paul Charvet, a 30-year old Associate VP Human Resources and Chief People Officer for one of the biggest conglomerates in the country.
They believe that every city has its own personality — a character that makes it special. In addition, Tagaytay has been everyone’s fastest escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, so if someone is longing for a good cup of coffee with great cold weather, there’s no place you’d rather be.
Instagram worthy
An Instagram worthy cafe, and every detail has a story. A quaint space inside that would let you start a conversation and build new friendships over time.
However, with great desire to serve a great cup of coffee requires someone knowledgeable to help them curate drinks; drinks that are staple like Caramel Macchiato or Spanish Latte, but with a taste that is distinctively and exclusively for Hello Cafe. “When we were conceptualizing Hello Cafe, we wanted to keep our favorite drinks, but at the same time, elevate the taste by using specialty coffee beans,” explains couple Irish Kleine, 28 years old, Head of HR – International Recruitment and Headhunting Firm and Jerome Ortiz, 32 years old Head of Cybersecurity and IT of an International IT Solutions and Security Provider.
The team then decided to partner with Arvy Uy, who has been around the coffee scene for a long time crafting unique coffee recipes.
Arvy Uy, Owner and Master Barista of Zone Out Coffee. It is strategically placed inside a co-working space in Rockwell and Ortigas.
As an entrepreneur and a master barista of most known coffee shop brands in the Philippines, Arvy is also visionary. He envisioned that his Zone Out Coffee is a place for creatives fueled by dreams, aspirations, and a great cup of coffee.
He said that every time he curates drinks for his clients, his number one consideration is their passion for coffee and their personalities. “Apart from the essential coffee specials, I crafted drinks that are based on their personalities and agile attitude,” Arvy enthusiastically explains when asked about his journey crafting Hello Cafe’s drinks.
Aesthetic and Modernized Look
One of Tagaytay’s most significant characteristics is the spirit of entrepreneurship and community that pervades Tagaytay’s coffee shops. This is why these young entrepreneurs decided to create their own called “Hello Cafe.” It’s a grand investment to see if these young owners can make their chosen area proud by serving the best coffee the city has to offer.
(Photo by Nice Print Photography during their grand opening)
One of the biggest conundrums of every restaurant owner is having a decent parking space. Hello Cafe has a generous parking spot, ideal for events and other special occasions.
When asked about the reason behind opening a third-wave coffee shop, the entrepreneurs answered that they built it on the grounds of passion and love for coffee. Their goal to build a homegrown Filipino brand in the international market looks more promising than ever.
“It’s cliche’ cos I don’t drink coffee, but I appreciate camaraderie. I think it’s already innate in me to be extending help by educating people about anything since I belong to the education industry. This is why when Aaron approached me about building a coffee shop, I immediately said YES!” says Dexter Soguillon, 34 years old and Head of Academic Affairs and Quality Assurance of a huge-scale university.
Embracing Simplicity and Sophistication
Hello Café offers an ambiance similar to the euphoric feeling of having the sun’s rays grace your skin in the morning. This feeling attributes its Muji-inspired minimalist interior, which embraces the concept of simplicity and sophistication. On a more impressive note, the cafe’s design showcases Filipino craftsmanship by filling the space with furniture proudly created by Caviteños. According to Krichelle Marie Soguilon, a mompreneur focusing on import and export business, one of their main goals is to contribute to the dynamic growth of Tagaytay. “That’s why apart from proximity, we wanted all members of Hello Cafe to be from the province of Cavite, be it Dasmarinas, Amadeo, or Tagaytay. In fact, one of the construction workers is now our head of security and mans the parking area,” she continues.
The cafe’s interior is to die for, but their signature drink will refill your will to live. Its concoctions continue to drive his passion for innovating Artisan beverages from coffee, tea, flavored drinks, sodas, and beers. Notwithstanding our desire to uplift our farmers by supporting their handcrafted beans. Hello Cafe continues to elevate the coffee scene as its baristas are homegrown talents of Tagaytay. Furthermore, the coffee shop takes pride in its everyday calibration of coffee to ensure quality.
“We ensure our coffee beans are fresh and machines are calibrated accordingly. As someone who worked in the banking industry, I’ve always believed that quality remains best over quantity,” says Lesley Ann Padilla. She is the wife of Aaron and a Financial Management expert.
Lesley added that Hello Cafe aims to be a versatile sanctuary— catering to workshops, special occasions, and even a place for engagement. “It could be anything, really! It could be a co-working space to some, while others use it as a place to unwind.”
Starts with One Hello
It’s funny to imagine that a cafe can change someone’s life – but it can. It’s not just the great coffee and food that make the experience at a cafe special; it’s the people you meet there.
It is evident that Hello Cafe intends to be your home when in Tagaytay. Hello Cafe is one strong espresso shot that enthuses its diverse consumers.
What started with a casual hello between eight people blossomed into one of the finest cafes in Tagaytay and is undoubtedly bound to make its way to everyone.
Succinctly, Hello Cafe is a unique coffee experience that can tell stories behind the extraction of the bean.
