Kaffeine Sarnia
Kaffeïne SarniaYounan Nanno didn’t know much about the world of coffee. He just knew that he loved to drink it and he wanted to work for himself. That was his motivation to purchase his own coffee shop, Kaffeine Sarnia. “I had absolutely no experience in the coffee world,” Younan says. “My only work experience was that of customer service.”
Younan has spent his entire career in customer service, which he has always loved. Prior to purchasing the Kaffeine Sarnia franchise, he worked for Jiffy Lube. “I was a sales representative,” Younan proclaims. “I didn’t do any oil changes. Before that, I worked at variety stores and gas stations. So my jobs have always involved customer service.” Growing up, Younan’s father owned a variety store, which is where his career in customer service began. “Dealing with people is where I shine my best. I am not a guy who can sit at a computer all day sending emails. That wouldn’t be me. Without people, I won’t survive.”
Younan moved to Canada from Iraq in 1995 when he was 29-years-old. “The biggest difference between Iraq and Canada is the community and freedom that we have here. We are here and this is our country now. We came from a country that was at war for years and we came to a country that is peaceful. It was a great experience; not scary at all. I believe that Canada is the best country!”
Younan says he always had it in his mind that he wanted to work for himself. “I thought about buying a variety store, but variety stores sell lottery tickets and dirty magazines and cigarettes which we don’t believe in selling to customers.” At the time, Younan was beginning to look for a path where he wouldn’t be required to stand on his feet all day either. “When Kaffeine Sarnia came up and we took a shot at it. I knew nothing about coffee besides drinking it. My wife Cami loves drinking coffee and we believe everybody loves coffee so we jumped in.”
One of the biggest challenges upon taking over Kaffeine Sarnia was getting to know the product as well as those who buy it. “When we took over, the customers knew the previous owners, but didn’t know us,” Younan says. “Everybody thought we weren’t from Sarnia when actually we have lived here since 1998.” It was a challenge for Younan and Cami to bring customers back to the store as the business developed. “Some didn’t come back, but most of them did when they realized how good our customer service is. They found out how we deal with people and they loved it.”
Today Kaffeine Sarnia sells everything you could need for the perfect cup of coffee. They also specialize in Crazy Cups, a premium coffee that comes in different flavours. “There is one called Death By Chocolate that is really good." They also have specialty pods that have no plastic in them. “They are eco-friendly and after you have your cup of coffee you can toss it in the backyard,” Younan says. “It is made from vegetables.”
Related Stories
Sweet Lemons
When it comes to bargain hunting, sisters Brooke Giresi and Jerica McLarkey will go the extra mile to find a great deal. "Brooke and I have been huge thrifters our whole lives," Jerica says. "We have gone on a trip — we call it our thrift tour — for each of the past five years." It
Brush Strokes Interiors
A large 'S' is carved into the glass on the door at Brush Strokes Interiors at 301 Christina Street North. The door remains as an homage to the original store located there, Scott's Distinctive Men's Wear, established in 1947. It adds to the character. I even have a copy of one of the dra
Sarnia-Lambton Alliance Against Hate
There are many things that go into assisting someone who is the victim of a hate-motivated assault, but Lindsey Travis says the number one skill is the ability to listen. We are here to help, here to listen, here to be an option for people to connect and have a space where they can talk openly ab
LEADWAVE Technologies
LEADWAVE Technologies has just celebrated ten years in business. A lot has changed in the IT field since they opened, and yet, for co-owner Mat Berube, some things remain the same. From the beginning, we have really focused on small business. They can't justify the cost of an entire IT department.
Related Stories
The Shoebox
There is an old saying, if the shoe fits, wear it. Well, Annette Campbell was in the market for a change, something a little more independent than her previous work in the financial industry, when she happened upon a notification on Facebook that a local, independent shoe store, The Shoebox, was for
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sarnia-Lambton
Big Brothers of Sarnia-Lambton was established in June of 1967 and almost 51 years later is still serving the needs of children in Lambton County. "I’ve been with the agency for over forty years now," explains Executive Director M...
Lisa Mayer CPA Professional Corporation
When you ask Lisa Mayer why she wanted to run her own accounting firm in Sarnia, her answer might surprise you. Of course she was good at math, so accounting was a solid fit. However, she always knew that she wanted to be her own...
Stitcharie
Laurie Johnson had been quilting for 15 years when her husband suggested she open Stitcharie. "You are always driving to quilt shops. Why don’t you just open one?" he said. I jumped on the idea like a panther. I had worked in reta...
