Today we’d like to introduce you to Vicki Harry.
Hi Vicki, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have done many different things, but my family has always been my number one passion. One summer, my husband was in Puerto Rico on a mission trip, my oldest daughter, Kelly, was living in Thailand working with victims of sex trafficking & my youngest son, Jake, was getting ready to move out of the house and start college at ECU. My daughter, Rachel, and I went on a last-minute trip in June with some family, and while we were there, I started to think about the next season of life I was about to enter. Life had always been packed with three kids – many friends, parties, sports games, etc. And with one daughter across the world, the other starting to get busier with her own life & my youngest moving out to begin his college and career – I started thinking about what my days would look like.
So, sitting on the beach one day, Rachel and I began dreaming up this “crazy idea” to open a coffee shop. We had always LOVED coffee – we were multiple lattes in a day kind of people! We started brainstorming how to make it unique and thought it would be fun to make it a gift boutique with a coffee bar in the back. We called Kelly in Thailand and told her all our ideas. She loved it but said, “Dad will never go for that!” And she was probably right. We knew my husband would never go for it and that it was a fun idea, so we kept brainstorming for fun. Well, thankfully, we were completely wrong! He came home from Puerto Rico, and when we told him our plan, he said it was a great idea!
The next few months were a blur. The day after we dropped Jake off at ECU in August, we went to NYC to the Home & Gift Market “to look.” We were walking around, taking everything in, when we noticed an entire booth that said it was 50% off the wholesale price. It was full of beautiful furniture and home decor, and long story short – we bought the whole thing! We extended our stay and packed all the merchandise into twenty-two pallets. Then we shipped it home, stored it in an empty warehouse (thanks to a friend), and started looking for a space to rent for the store.
Our long-time family friend, Vanessa, owned a boutique called Swoon 😉 They had just opened up in a little shopping center in Holly Springs, so she convinced us to come to the same area. We knew very little about how to make coffee. So we went over to Larry’s Beans in downtown Raleigh, and they taught us all about espresso & how to make a great latte. Kelly graduated from ASU in December and moved home to help with the store. Once our equipment was installed in the store, we bought a bunch of gallons of milk & started practicing pulling shots & steaming milk. Then, we started inviting our friends and experimenting with the recipes. And before we knew it, in 6 short months, our doors were open – January 5, 2013.
So, in summary, I opened Thanks a Latte a little bit on a whim – thinking that I would be bored and needed something to pour my time and energy into. Well, if you’ve been around here, you know I couldn’t have been more wrong about the season I was entering! Kelly engaged in the Holly Springs store a few months after we opened! And our family hasn’t stopped growing since. Nine years later, I have two incredible sons-in-law and a fantastic daughter-in-law I love like my own. I also have 9 grandkids and counting! And a brand new store in Angier, NC. This has turned out to be my life’s most busy and full season yet. I wouldn’t have opened a coffee shop if I had known all that was coming. But thankfully, God always knows better than I do. Thanks a Latte is an integral part of our family now, and we cannot imagine life without it. It has been a part of so many of our significant life events, and it’s been a door into so many of your lives as well. We have formed so many unique relationships because of this little coffee shop idea we had on the beach all those years ago. We’ve seen people walk through hard and sad seasons of life – infertility, loss, sickness, and divorce. And we’ve also been able to celebrate with so many of you – marriages, miracle babies & dreams coming to life.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There will always be obstacles to overcome when you own your own business. You have to be able to think on your feet and troubleshoot daily. From equipment failures and staffing issues to supply chain shortages, there are always hurdles to overcome. Every day brings a new challenge, but we are always thinking.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Thanks A Latte Coffee and Gift Boutique?
Thanks A Latte is a woman-owned, faith-based company and family business. We specialize and are known for creating a warm, inviting atmosphere for getting work done or meeting with a friend. Our main priorities are getting to know our customers and providing excellent customer service. We offer a variety of unique lattes, fresh local baked goods, and a carefully curated selection of gifts for the whole family.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
People can partner with us by participating in events/vendor markets we schedule yearly. We are always open to ideas for collaborating with our community. People can support Thanks A Latte by visiting one of our locations to enjoy our coffee and purchase gifts.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thanksalattegiftsnc.com/
- Instagram: Thanks A Latte Gifts
- Facebook: Thanks A Latte Coffee and Gift Boutique
