HomeTown Coffee

Mariel and Jaime Tapia own Maná Delights, a cake and pastry business in Union City, IN. They found that customers who enjoyed their pastries also frequented a neighboring coffee company, HomeTown Coffee. So when the opportunity to purchase HomeTown Coffee came in January 2024, the opportunity was too good to pass up. Because of the Tapias' passion and potential, the owners of HomeTown Coffee entrusted them with the coffee shop's future. The Tapias envision HomeTown Coffee as more than just a coffee shop. They see it as a warm, welcoming community hub. Here, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee blends seamlessly with the sweet scent of pastries, creating an inviting atmosphere. This venture is a labor of love, a platform for the Tapias to share their passion for coffee, food, and the legacy they hope to build one cup and pastry at a time. They are committed to serving the finest beverages, using exclusive homemade syrups and unique coffee blends found only at their establishment. The menu at HomeTown Coffee is a delightful journey for the senses. Coffee enthusiasts can indulge in drip coffee, specialty hot and iced lattes, cold brews, frappes, and a selection of hot chocolates - all made with premium a2 Milk® products. They also serve lemonades, bobas, and iced and hot teas. HomeTown Coffee goes beyond beverages, offering a selection of hot sandwiches, breakfast items, cookies, cakes, and other pastries. The Tapias wanted to expand the coffee business to neighboring cities and counties using a mobile coffee cart. This cart would enable them to cater to events throughout the year, both indoors and outdoors. They contacted the East Central Indiana Small Business Development Center (East Central Indiana SBDC) to help achieve this. Through the SBDC, they participated in the Randolph County United business pitch competition to secure funding for their vision. They also received guidance from business advisors and utilized the LivePlan Business planning tool. In the end, the Tapias created a mobile food cart that would allow them to serve at events all year long. Their next dream is to have a coffee truck for their business. “One of the best tools we could have come across, aside from professional one-to-one guidance from the business advisors, was the LivePlan account,” said Mariel, co-owner of HomeTown Coffee. “This platform made it incredibly easy to understand which direction we needed to move in to make our dreams a reality. It thoroughly shows how far your business can go through real-life financial projections and how quickly they can get there.” LivePlan business planning software simplifies the creation of financial forecasts and reports for small businesses. The Tapias found that using this tool helped them organize their business plan and gain a clearer perspective on their goals. “Our hopes for this next season are for our love and passion for what we do to help draw more visitors into our beautiful town and help create a positive ripple effect on other local businesses, essentially creating more job opportunities for our community,” expressed Mariel. HomeTown Coffee can be found on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.