House of Coffees more than just caffeinated beverages
Though House of Coffees has coffee in its name, the cafe serves up a lot more than just that caffeinated beverage.
For new customers, what may stand out is the variety of beverages and foods House of Coffees has to offer.
The new owner, Sammy Oliver, wants customers to feel as though they can come to House of Coffees for just about any beverage they are in the mood for.
Oliver grew up in Lodi and has many fond memories of House of Coffees, which has been open since 1990 and was the first shop in town to serve espresso drinks.
She remembers learning how to play chess with her best friend’s grandfather in the coffee shop and it is also where her now husband asked her to prom.
“I’m really passionate about the coffee industry, and I’m even more passionate about this town and this community,” Oliver said. “So when the opportunity arose to purchase, I kind of looked at my options as if not now, when?”
House of Coffees has had three owners over the years. The original owner Deb Goni, sold the shop to Jennifer Phillips, who owned it for seven years before selling it to Oliver last February.
A lot of the beverages sold at House of Coffees are made by and named after employees.
One of the more popular drinks, known as the Jenn, is named after the previous owner, which consists of sweetened espresso, cinnamon and chocolate, which Oliver says is good winter treat.
Another popular drink is the Roadie, which is a latte with an extra shot that is sweetened with a vanilla-based powder.
These drinks are part of the specialty menu, consisting of beverages that aren’t found anywhere else.
“We do have all your regular coffee shop finds,” Oliver said. “We’ve got really good regular coffee, lattes, mochas, all that normal stuff, but our specialty drinks, and drinks you can’t find elsewhere, there’s a lot of them.”
The iced teas are popular as well, which are brewed individually so that customers can have them any way they choose.
Being located next to a fitness club, House of Coffees gets a lot of foot traffic from the gym, which makes their protein shake a nice addition to the menu.
Those that are hungry and would like to enjoy a sandwich or pastry with their beverage can order something to eat as well.
The cafe also offers breakfast bars and sandwiches, like the turkey panini sandwich with pesto and havarti cheese on sourdough.
Some selections are rotated on the menu for a couple of months at a time.
There is no drive-through at the cafe, but customers can call in their order and have it delivered to their car in the parking lot.
House of Coffees recently received a liquor license, but Oliver says the cafe remains a family-friendly place where customers feel comfortable and welcome.
“Lodi has so many places to go wine tasting, go out for a drink,” Oliver said. “So there’s a lot of really cool stuff to do with beer and wine here. However, not all of those place (wineries, breweries) are places you can bring your kids.”
Just like their coffees and teas, House of Coffees has a variety of alcoholic beverages.
They’ve got four craft beers on tap and cider is also on the menu. Wine is sold during events held at the shop.
Some of the events held at House of Coffees include board game nights, which are held on Mondays, and live music featuring local bands.
The cafe hosted live music on Friday night and the next performance will be on Friday, Aug. 17. A trivia night will be held Aug. 31.
“I would encourage people, as I always do, if you see any local businesses, give it a shot,” Oliver said. “Even if there is something you like somewhere else and your not sure if they (local businesses) can do it, give them a chance because the chances are, local businesses, most of the time, put a lot more effort and care into that one specific customer, that one specific drink, and usually you get it made with a lot more care and attention to it.”
House of Coffees is located on 239 Lakewood Mall and can be contacted at 209-368-2611. The cafe’s hours are 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.