Ghaith Balbeisi, the youthful manager of Qahwah House, attributes the rising popularity of Yemeni coffee shops to their namesake product.
“In other areas of the world, if you get Yemeni coffee beans, they’re called the gold mine of coffee beans, because they have lower acidity. … It’s a healthier coffee. It’s a better quality product as well,” he says. He adds that consumers, particularly in Michigan, are interested in experiencing different cultures and connecting them with their own.
The eight-year-old company draws from founder Ibrahim Alhasbani’s eighth-generation coffee farm in Sa’fan, near the Yemeni capital of Sana’a, for much of its products, with honeycomb bread and other pastries produced at its kitchen in Dearborn. At the new Maple Village outpost, one wall depicts the family story and maps the historical coffee trade routes from Yemen.
Qahwah (derived from the Arabic word for coffee) has grown to nineteen stores in seven states. Its location in Manhattan’s West Village served as the hook for a recent CNN.com story on the growing appeal of “third spaces” that foster community outside of home and work, free from alcohol or loud music.
Balbeisi, who left an ice cream shop to work at the company’s Canton store before coming to Ann Arbor, says “it’s a fun job in general.” Among the coffees, teas, and fruity refreshers on the menu, he reports that Adeni chai—black tea with cardamom, nutmeg, and milk—is the most popular.
Qahwah House, 211 N. Maple (Maple Village). (734) 369–2109. Mon.–Thurs. 8 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri. 8 a.m.–midnight, Sat. 9 a.m.–midnight, Sun. 9 a.m.–11 p.m. qahwahhouse.com
Got a retail or restaurant change? Email marketplace@aaobserver.com.
