In our conversation with owners of one-of-a-kind coffee spots, we sat down with Emilee, who runs a mobile coffee trailer and pop-up cart based in Long Beach, CA. What began as a creative venture during the tumultuous year of 2020 has flourished into a creative coffee destination on wheels.
@punkpresscoffee
Intro:
Hi, my name is Emilee and I own Punk Press Coffee here in Long Beach, CA. My journey to this point is a long one but has so far been very rewarding. In my previous career, I was a craft cocktail bartender. Back in 2020, when the whole world shut down, I had a hard time adjusting to all the free time and decided to sell craft cocktails to go and deliver them to friends and family. What started as a small project to kill time, turned into a full fledged business. Unfortunately, in California, you can’t really sell cocktails out of your house legally (fair enough) so once things grew past the point of only friends and family, I shut the operation down. Shortly after, I was approached by some investors looking to bottle my cocktails and sell them to liquor stores. As incredible as all that sounded, even with their investment, I simply did not have the funds. I was young and dumb and the timing was all wrong. An idea to do a mobile cocktail bar for weddings emerged. This was a much more approachable venture, but my investors dropped and didn’t like the idea. After researching other businesses with a similar model, I learned that most of them had espresso machines and offered coffee services. I quickly realized how expensive equipment like this was, and had the epiphany, if I’m going to invest into expensive coffee equipment, why not open as a mobile cafe every day?
Punk Press was born.
What inspired you?
Punk Press has a very obvious Punk Rock theme. But that theme goes far beyond music for us. My experience as a barista and a consumer has always been that each coffee shop belongs in a box. Specialty coffee or not. 1st, 2nd, or 3rd wave coffee. At the end of the day, most people are seeking a delicious cup and simply don’t identify with all these labels. In the years leading up to this venture, I dedicated myself to the craft of cocktail design. I created over 100 unique cocktails and curated many cocktail menus. I also dabbled a bit in cocktail photography. My creative scope was limitless, and I didn’t want to restrict my imagination to fitting into a tight box. Punk Press represents an idea that we are free to deviate from the norm. We also greatly support the service industry and are a welcome space to those who live a more “alternative” lifestyle as society claims.
What were the practical steps you took to open your mobile coffee trailer?
My first step was to create a brand that really represented this company and resonated with our target demographic. I designed the logo myself based on my favorite rose tattoo. I took to Instagram to post all my creations even before having a tangible business. I often delivered coffee to coworkers and took their feedback seriously. I spent almost a month drafting a thorough business plan and presented this idea to new investors who, lucky for me, were interested. Once I acquired funding, I purchased a trailer in Seattle, and my dream was taking off. Until, however, the owners backed out. It was a devastating blow. But I quickly found an even better trailer in Tennessee. I took a 5-day trip to drive to Tennessee and tow the trailer back to California, which I do NOT recommend. One of the scariest experiences I’ve ever had. But alas, we got the trailer back in one piece and began some cosmetic and construction projects. I owe so much to my Dad for helping me during this time and for teaching me so much.
My first step was to create a brand that really represented this company and resonated with our target demographic.
@punkpresscoffee
What do you see as the advantages of owning a mobile coffee trailer?
I think owning a mobile business as a first-time business owner is a smart move. It allows you to explore cities and counties until you find one that sticks. The original plan for Punk Press was to be Orange County based, and while we still plan to be there from time to time, the love we’ve received from Long Beach has been overwhelming and we are enjoying our pop ups at Junipero Beach for now. As seasons and trends change, we can easily shift our focus and follow the demand for our coffee.
Your journey may inspire many aspiring female entrepreneurs. What advice would you give to other women who are considering starting their own unique cafe or mobile coffee trailer?
My best advice to female entrepreneurs is to figure out as much as you can yourself and not to let anyone tell you that you aren’t of the ability to get it done. Before this business, I had barely used a screwdriver. Each renovation project followed countless hours on YouTube. We have so much information at our fingertips. Even men YouTube this stuff sometimes. It’s nothing to be ashamed of and you’ll learn so much.
If you can avoid having everyone do everything for you, you’ll know more about your own business and potentially save a lot of money down the line.
@punkpresscoffee
As a female business owner, what are some of the challenges you’ve faced in the coffee industry, and how have you overcome them? Can you share any lessons or insights you’ve gained along the way?
So far I’m not sure I’ve been faced with any female-specific challenges in regards to my business which is the complete opposite of my experience as a bartender. The coffee community has shown me much love and inclusion and that wasn’t always the case in the ultra male-dominated world of cocktails, so that has been a nice shift for me and my mental health. If anything, I would say many don’t expect me to be the owner and are always really shocked to learn who is behind everything. If you are feeling discriminated against in this industry or any industry, I’m a firm believer that the best revenge is success. One day everyone who doubted you will see you with a chain of successful coffee shops and hopefully they will learn to not judge people based on how they look.
@punkpresscoffee
My favorite part of business ownership is the lessons and research.
My favorite part of business ownership is the lessons and research. Even IF this doesn’t end the way I planned, what I’ve learned from this process is invaluable and can be translated to many industries. All it can do is prepare me for any future ventures and I wouldn’t consider that a failure. Therefore, there’s nothing to be scared of. I hope I inspired anyone to just go for it.
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