By Alexandra Brewer | Arts & Life Intern
What began as an entrepreneurial dream for owners Kayla and Ismael Olvera has flourished into a thriving reality known as Mila Café, Waco’s first official Mexican coffee shop.
Eight years ago, shortly after marrying, the couple first introduced their coffee to Waco through a small cart and a cooler called Kurbside Coffee at the Waco Downtown Farmers’ Market. While praised by their family for making even $40 in a day, the Olveras wanted more. They wanted to create a new concept that they could pass down from generation to generation.
“I remember he looked at me and said, ‘That’s going to be us one day,’” Kayla said.
The faith in their small business has now transformed Kurbside Coffee into their rebranded name, Mila Café. They were located in Waco’s Union Hall during the pandemic, but have since opened their own independent storefront, located on N 25th St.
Over time, they said they have grown their coffee shop into a bustling storefront. Their new location has been so successful that just last weekend, they sold out of coffee entirely and had to close early. With their warm, inviting atmosphere, deep-rooted family values and traditions, Mila Café is quickly gaining traction among the Waco and Baylor community.
Mila Café, which opened just a few weeks ago, has already begun to position itself in the Waco coffee scene by offering unique flavors drawing inspiration from their Mexican heritage. With flavors like marzipan, horchata and churro, the Olveras have shaken up the coffee game.
To honor Hispanic Heritage Month, the Olveras introduced a new drink to the menu called the machata, which is a layered combination of horchata, matcha and strawberry, resembling the Mexican flag with the shades of red, white and green.
Students, eager to find new drinks and study spots, have already begun to try Mila Café.
“I’m a big coffee connoisseur,” Pine Hill, Wyo., senior Grace Steenbergen said.
As a self-proclaimed coffee enthusiast who has kept a spreadsheet of every coffee shop in Waco, Steenbergen said that Mila is among her favorites.
“I think as Baylor students, it’s important for us to get out into communities and support local businesses,” she said.
Despite the challenges faced, from the creation of a family business to surviving the pandemic, the Olveras have persevered. They continue to honor their roots by maintaining their weekly presence at the farmer’s market while expanding their storefront.
Something important to the Olveras is making coffee accessible to everyone. They recognize the language barrier that comes with ordering coffee in a shop, and they’re working to bridge that gap with Spanish speakers in the community.
“Sometimes the language barrier affects them from trying to go in,” Ismael said. “So we want to provide that to them and the community in general; we want to share culture and flavors with them.”
The community response to Mila Café has been overwhelmingly positive, something Kayla said she had a deep appreciation for.
“We were blown away,” Kayla said. “We had lines out the door. The whole coffee shop was extremely packed.”
According to the Olveras, Mila Café is more than just coffee. It’s a fusion of culture, connection and heritage meant to be shared with people across all cultures.
