Local Coffee Shop's Mantra Includes Passion for People

AZUSA, Calif. - Dec. 14, 2015 - PRLog -- Mantra Coffee Shop owner Jonny Liu is certainly well versed in making a good cup of coffee and a deliciously crafted latte, but perhaps he’s gifted most in hosting friends and strangers alike in the cozy and eclectic setting he’s created on North San Gabriel Avenue.

While Liu says he’s not about numbers and is not interested in competing with Starbucks, his stellar network skills honed during his previous job as Residence Director at Azusa Pacific University Residence are already in evidence. Just three days after Mantra’s soft opening, APU students filled the two main rooms, nooks and crannies, and a few overflow tables on the patio.

“We invite you to be a part of our story,” says Liu and his team on the Mantra website. “Our personal mantra is that we are passionate about people and we happen to make damn good coffee too.” Don’t ask about the “edgy” marketing slogan. It appears to be a millennial thing and the coffee delivers on promise.

Liu adds, “I’ve been encouraging the staff not to think, ‘I just need to get this coffee out,’ but to think, ‘Who am I making this for?’

As an interesting business model twist, this really cool coffee shop wants to keep its vibe “by giving away more money than we make.”

“Through our 51% policy, we hope to be a catalyst for community and global development over a damn good cup of coffee,” said Liu, whose lived and worked in Azusa for 10 years, understands the area, and believes his locals-style coffee shop has nothing to fear when it comes to the soon-to-be six Starbucks locations. “Starbucks defines the third space well, but we are something different,” he explains. “My genuine desire is to give back. So, for example 90 percent of our staff is APU related.”

Mantra looks at “the physical coffee” in terms of “supplying the three main elements with high quality standards: great water, great milk, and great coffee roast.” And adds, “Beyond the ingredients, damn good coffee requires a fourth element, the experience surrounding the cup of coffee.”

“Our coffee house is meant to feel like a welcoming home, a safe, comfortable refuge. From the vibrant patterns on our tile floor, to the art hanging on the wall, the wood surfaces, our stained glass windows, the modern countertops, the infectious smiles of our baristas, we have created an intriguing environment that spurs creativity and self-discovery.”

Mantra Coffee Shop is located at 615 N San Gabriel Ave, Azusa, CA 91702

Website: mantracoffeeco.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mantracoffeeco/