Java Dave's Coffeehouse :: Cynthia & Darren LaVersa

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It's About Life!!~It's About Us!!

BUSINESS

Java Dave's Coffeehouse

Business of the Month

JAVA DAVE'S COFFEE HOUSE

Date opened:

January 2004

Number of Employees/Team Members:

Person/People who inspired you to become an entrepreneur:

Husband (Darren LaVersa)

Charlotte Green (Genuine Style Hair Salon)

El Paso Black Business Network Member:

Yes~~~Platinum Member

Community Involvement:

El Paso Black Business Network

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Business:

Coffee House

Location/s

985 N. Resler (across from Franklin High School)

El Paso, Texas 79912

Outlet Shoppes at El Paso

7051 South Desert Blvd (I-10 & Transmountain)

Grand Opening 11 October 2007

Phone

(915) 581-7770

Website

www.cravejavadaves.com

Email

contact Java Dave's

Products/Services:

Coffee, ice cream, frozen drinks, latte and more!!

Free Wireless Internet

Open Mic Night

Local Live Entertainment

Java Dave’s has something for everyone. We serve only the highest quality fresh roasted specialty coffees, teas, frozen blended drinks, espresso and latte’s. Shop our coffee wares while we serve up some ice cream for the kids. Our warm and friendly staff, open space and fresh baked pastries make Java Dave’s the neighborhood-gathering place.

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PERSONAL

Status:

Married with Children

Favorite Beverage

Coca Cola with a twist of lime

Favorite Food

Crab Lebs and Scallops

How do you unwind/relax

Time at home with family; family togetherness

What's the most difficult part about running your own business

You've got to follow through on everything no matter what. Have an open line of communication. When you're married and in business together...it can be challenging.

What's The Most Rewarding

Great customers. Getting to know the people in the community.

If you had to do it all over again, what one thing would you do differently if any?

I think I would have paid more attention to my educational endeavors. I would have completed them earlier in life.

What words of encouragement/advice would you give others desiring to go into business for themselves?

Stay in school Get your education. Whether it be vocational, tech, college...get educated. Get up every morning and say "I Will" accomplish what I desire to do. Work on your short and long term goals. Education produces a better quality of life.

Biography: Cynthia LaVersa

Cynthia LaVersa, a native of Denver, Colorado, President of the LaVersa Corporation, along with her husband Darren has used their entrepreneurial skills and military experiences such as leadership, management and discipline to open a business in El Paso, Texas. In January 2004, Java Dave’s Coffee House opened and a second location is due to open October 11, 2007 in the Outlet Shoppes at El Paso, located on I-10 and Transmountain, an outlet mall which will feature approximately 100 stores.

Java Dave’s serves specialty coffees, teas, frozen blended drinks, espresso and latte’s. The shop also offers a selection of pastries coffee wares, free wireless and maintains a comfortable atmosphere with lots of room and seating. Cynthia is also the Chief Business Coordinator and Chief of Marketing for Coffee Prophets, a coffee consulting business founded by her husband Darren LaVersa, who is the CEO. The Coffee Prophets is designed to assist entrepreneurs at every level or any stage of development in the specialty coffee and food service industries quickly and dramatically improve performance, increase sales, reduce cost and cultivate the love and passion for coffee.

Upon retirement from the military, Cynthia was a disabled veteran in need of a career change due to her disability. The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment allowed her to attend college and major in Business; Cynthia LaVersa is a retired Command Sergeant Major, United States Army with over twenty-one years service. She entered the military in November of 1983 and became a Military Policewoman with specialized training as an Internment and Resettlement Noncommissioned Officer in the Military Police Corps.

While assigned to the United States Sergeants Major Academy she held the position of Company Commander. Cynthia has received numerous accolades and awards while in the military. After retirement, Cynthia worked briefly with General Dynamics as a principal trainer, training soldiers in confinement operations prior to deployment.

In 2003, Cynthia and her husband also a retired Sergeant Major decided to make El Paso their home with their two children, began the process of starting a new business. They formed a corporation and went into business together. Cynthia hopes to expand their coffee houses to 5 within the next five years and continue her efforts with her husbands consulting business while pursuing a Masters degree with University of Phoenix.

My Day at Java Dave’s...

I had a pleasant opportunity to meet a highly motivated young woman and her husband. Through years of dreaming and research they together turned their life-long dream into a reality. Husband and wife team, Mrs. Cynthia LaVersa and Mr. Darren LaVersa, are literally living their wildest dreams.

Cynthia and Darren are truly aspiring to create an enticing environment for people to have a place to get away from it all, while enjoying a cup of great tasting coffee. Both are retired military, brining to the table over 40 years of combined military experience of loyalty, dedication, personal drive, perseverance and the know-how to make anything happen. Retiring as a Sergeant Major, Darren chose to not promote at the end of his career so that his wife Cynthia could be promoted and retire as a Command Sergeant Major; a selfless sacrifice by Darren that would prove its worth and weight in gold and would pay off in the end. It dawned on me as I stood there listening to Cynthia and watching Darren…the selfless sacrifices is exactly what they are about.

Despite all that they’ve accomplished, neither one has a problem with giving credit to the one another and their baristas. The baristas enthusiastically serve their guests. Their resumes are impressive, but to be in their presence is tranquil. They are blessed by their success, but are humbled by their pride. I am truly honored to have met them. As their aura is infectious, you find yourself not wanting to leave their presence. Good conversation, good coffee and great employees equal excellent management. A recipe perfected by Cynthia and Darren.

I got the privilege to see the duo together and at work at their beautifully established coffee shop, Java Daves. Enlightening the atmosphere and delightfully tasting the coffee. Although I am not a coffee drinker I found myself allured by the smell and intriguing conversation with Cynthia. So much so that I found a much needed moment to wrap myself in the surroundings and indulge in a hot cup of Vanilla Nut Cream coffee topped with whip cream. You just can’t help yourself, Cynthia and Darren have managed to do what many establishments are not able to do and that is create a warm and inviting environment that is enticing for all. With free access to wireless internet, I smiled at the students as they sat at tables with their laptops and I admired the comfort and ease her customers displayed as they sat down and enjoyed their coffee and pastries.

Cynthia mentioned that there is open mic night on Saturdays and that she invites local bands to come play live for the customer’s of Java Dave’s. Inviting us back to experience their open mic night, I made a promise to indulge in their presence again and watch the festivities unfold.

Thank you goes to both Cynthia and Darren for inviting MOCHA out to spend the day with Java Dave’s. I am truly honored to have you both as friends of MOCHA. May God continue to bless both of you.

Jeannine Miller

Editor in Chief, MOCHA MAGAZINE

(forrmer Managing Editor, Black El Paso News)

If you're looking for a place that offers fabulous atmosphere visit Java Dave’s. Java Dave’s is the new wave of coffeehouses. It offers great customer service, an array of coffee and drink flavors that make you smile and a comforting feeling that it has been created just for you. It offers a serene and soothing décor with beverages, foods and deserts that tantalize the taste buds.

From the moment I walked into Java Dave’s I was moved to explore and indulge in all it had to offer. I wanted to indulge in everything from its free wireless access, array of publications, large flat screen plasma TV to its coffee filled teddy bears. Java Dave’s truly captures the essence of today’s coffee drinkers and those who want to be surrounded by modern décor and people with like interest.

I look forward to spending time at Java Dave’s enjoying live entertainment, watching a movie with friends and most importantly enjoying coffee flavors like Funky Monkey. So, if you're looking for a place that moves your soul as well as your mind visit Java Dave’s and prepare to be amazed.

Tondaleya Shamley

Black El Paso.com TV Host/Anchor