Fun Coffee House
Focusing on the Family Opens its Doors in Downtown
La Grange
For immediate
release: March 10, 2005
Latte on the Square, the newest
business to set up shop in downtown La Grange, is a
perfect reflection of its co-owner and operator,
Laurie Pereyda. It mirrors her strong family
values, her tastes in color and texture and her
life-long love affair with coffee.
“For
generations, coffee has been more than a beverage
that helps my family wake up in the morning. Coffee
always has signaled a social opportunity, any time
of the day or night. We sit down, talk, enjoy each
other’s company, relax and sip. It’s no wonder that
we have come to truly appreciate a really good cup
of coffee – espresso – latte -- or cappuccino,”
Laurie says.
Her interest in
opening a La Grange family-oriented coffee house was
piqued after she realized she and her husband,
Ricky, always had the same routine. Whenever they
traveled to Houston or Austin, their first stop was
the local chain that dominates the upscale coffee
market in the United States. She talked to other La
Grange residents who shared the same habit.
“Why not in La
Grange?” Laurie asked her family, and from there,
the idea blossomed.
Latte on the Square,
located across from the courthouse in the space
formerly held by The Mustard Seed, is warm, relaxed
and cozy. Pale gold stars on the black ceiling to
gigantic cups filled with coffee beans set the mood
for the quaint little gathering place. Laurie
picked her favorite color combination – burgundy,
beige and black -- for the walls and accessories.
Open the door and breathe in the full-bodied aroma
of fresh coffee, tea and sweets. Simple maple
tables stamped with the company logo -- a brimming
cup of coffee -- and comfy chairs complete the light
and airy corner shop’s decor. (There also are
several tables outdoors on the sidewalk.) Because
Laurie’s ambition is to create a coffee house that’s
family oriented, no alcohol is served.
In addition to her
husband’s buy-in and assistance with the start-up of
the business, Laurie’s stepfather, Frank, is often
behind the counter lending a hand. He is the one
who created the giant stained glass coffee cup in
the front window to match the shop’s logo. Laurie’s
three children who attend La Grange High School:
Steven, a senior; Christina, a freshman; and the
newest member of the family, Ariel, a junior, would
rather be at Latte on the Square after school and on
weekends than sitting at home. It truly is a family
affair!
Ariel is
working with a tutor to improve her grades this
semester and if she’s successful, Laurie has
promised them both a special treat. Now she is
extending that offer to other youth who are working
hard.
“For every 10 points of improvement a
student makes on his or her report card in the next
six-week period while they’re studying here, I’ll
give each one a treat, too,” she says. “And of
course, that includes the tutor, as well.”
WiFi ready, the coffeehouse is just the
right atmosphere for youth to perform – whether it’s
opera, acoustical guitar or jazz. At Latte on the
Square, they’ll find a welcoming audience and
receive a warm reception.
Laurie has lined up several regional
suppliers to support her business including
Independence Coffee in Brenham that is roasting her
coffees, High Cotton Bakery in Brenham and Flower
Box Baking in Weimar that are providing different
sweets such as cookies and cakes, and a Round Rock
distributor that specializes in the syrups she
uses. Latte on the Square also is a distributor for
Café Flores, a Guatemalan company that donates a
portion of its sales to a children’s organization in
that country. There’s no microwave in the
coffeehouse and Laurie says you won’t find a single
teabag either – although she carries 10 varieties of
loose tea.
A
La Grange resident for 18 years and no newcomer to
small business, Laurie has designed approximately
100 websites for local companies and organizations.
While she’s still maintaining her website business,
she expects to pour more time into Latte on the
Square than into marketing Blondie’s Web Designs.
“Bring your lunch, bring a friend, bring
your computer, just come on by,” Laurie says. “You
and your family are welcome here and rest assured
there will always be a fresh pot of coffee on.”
Latte on the Square is open Monday to Thursday from
6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from
6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. For more information,
please contact Laurie at 979-968-9545
