Despite an unexpected career turn that forced laid-off journalist to pivot into becoming the owner of her family’s Perkatory coffee shop in Devil’s Beach, Florida, Lana Lewis is thriving. She is dating Police Chief Noah Garcia, works and lives near her best friend Erica, and their innovative flavor twists have perked up business tremendously.
Here at KRL we love to find unique places whether they be shops, cafes, or coffee shops. Recently we discovered one that also had a very unique name—BooBoo Bean Bakery and Café located in Fresno. It opened in January of 2018. I took some time to chat with the Café’s owner Jenny Rivera and the timing couldn't have been more perfect as they also offer holiday meals you can take home for the family--all of the great home cooking without any of the work.
Near the end of last year, Anthony and Evelyn Reyna opened a new coffee shop in downtown Dinuba, CA called Brick & Stone. While coffee is great all year long, as the weather begins to cool off nothing sounds better than a great cup of coffee, so it seemed like the perfect time to learn more about the new kid in town. Recently we chatted with their manager, Mikayla Protzman.
Double Shot Death is the second book in the Ground Rules Mystery series by Emmeline Duncan. I love coffee mysteries so I was excited when the first book, Fresh Brewed Murder, came out last year. I also love Portland, which is where this series is set, so it was a “double shot” of fun for me. When I saw that a new book in the series was coming out this year, well of course I was going to read it.
Roxy Bloom, now Mrs. Roxy Cane, is enjoying the success of her coffeehouse, The Bean Hive, situated on the boardwalk with a lovely vista of Lake Honey Springs. Her shop is a go-to stop for tourists and locals alike to pick up a sweet treat, a cup of her personally crafted blends, and some delicious gossip. She’s an integral member of the community partnering with Pet Palace to have on hand a few adoptable shelter animals, like Polly, a “be careful what you say” talking bird, joining in various community events, and currently allowing her young employee Birdie Bebe a place for her home economics study group to meet.
The Coffeehouse Mysteries by Cleo Coyle is one of my absolute favorite series, so every time there is a new book out, I can’t wait to get my hands on it. The latest book, Honey Roasted, is book 19 in the series and it did not disappoint!
These two series by Tonya Kappes are all-time personal favorites: A Camper & Criminals Cozy introduced in 2018 and Killer Coffee Mystery in 2017. I am quite invested in the diverse characters along with their love lives, friends and family, and methods used to solve a murder. Both series are set in tourist-friendly small towns in Kentucky, but one revolves around running a campground while the other a coffeehouse. Both have strong females who have suffered personal set backs, but have successfully reimagined their personal and professional lives, made great friends, and found true love…oh, picked up a few fur buddies, too.
Reedley has something very new and exciting that opened on October 16, The Honey Pearl Café. They feature Bubble Tea/Boba tea drinks and much more. A couple of weeks ago we stopped by to check it out and I love the decor and feel of the place! The Mochi donuts are delicious and I look forward to discovering Boba tea. While I personally am not comfortable sitting inside a restaurant or café quite yet, I look forward to when I am because Honey Pearl feels like a perfect place to hang out. In the meantime, they offer pickup, curbside, and delivery options for people like me. Recently, we chatted with the owner, Radeth Stratton (people call him Date), about the café. Date also owns Date’s Donuts in Dinuba.
Bethany Byrd started 5 Stones Open Door after seeing five of her friends die as a result of abuse. That abuse took several forms over the years, each of which is addressed by the non-profit organization she founded several years ago. They became the five stones of an outreach to people whose lives have been touched by domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
A few weeks ago, I was working at Fresno's Woodward Park branch library, but I arrived too early and it was not open. Simultaneously, I had a "hankering" for coffee. I crossed the street to the shopping center knowing that any respectable center of its kind would have, at least, a mediocre cup of coffee.
