Taking a look through almost every Liberty High classroom, you’re bound to see a Starbucks or Dunkin’ cup placed on a desk. These popular chain coffee shops are scattered around town and are therefore in the hands of many Liberty students.
Feeling bored with the same Starbucks iced coffee? There are many local gems to try around town. With a charming story behind them, they could end up being a new favorite place for students and staff to grab their coffee.
In the Iowa City, Coralville and North Liberty area, many local coffee shops don’t always receive as much business and hype compared to their chain competitors.
Zoetic Coffee, located in Iowa City and Solon, is a solid option for people looking to try a local coffee shop atmosphere, as it stands out with its catchphrase “People First, Then Coffee” and the opportunity to rent space and listen to live music.
Lisa Bishop (she/her), the owner of Zoetic Coffee, combined art and music for the vision of Zoetic. It gives the community a taste of joy in their day: a sip, a bite, a smile, an interaction, and over time a transformation.
Bishop went to school to be an art teacher and coached basketball on the side, but then had a change in plans after 15 years in the field.
“I felt like God was encouraging me to make a big pivot by opening up a coffee shop. I still use the skills I learned in each of my previous jobs to make me a better business owner. I’m thankful for each job along the way,” Bishop said.
Day-to-day life owning and running a coffee shop can be long and full of tasks needing to be done.
“If I’m in charge of opening the shop, I usually wake up around 5am, to arrive at 6am. Serve customers is only a small part of what needs to be done. My days have a variety of tasks that need to be done to financial management, doing marketing, ordering inventory, training and educating staff, correspondence, daily operations and quality control, keeping up with maintenance and facilities,” Bishop said. “Being a mom and wife are highest priority. I do try to make sure I can take my kids to school 2x a week as well as not work when they have weekend activities.”
Bishop notes that balancing this can be difficult.
“The most challenging part is managing all the tasks that need to be done and deciding what is the highest priority to focus on each day,” Bishop said.
Even though there are many responsibilities that come with the job, Bishop expresses what keeps her going.
“I have such an amazing staff that is like family, and our customers have turned into some great friends. I truly do love them and seeing them each day,” Bishop said.
Not only is Zoetic a community-oriented gathering spot, but the items on the menu make Zoetic a standout local coffee shop. Bishop shares what she loves most on the menu at Zoetic.
“I am most proud of our seasonal menus because our staff comes up with them, the recipes, and I design all menus for them. The Log Cabin is our signature drink that started off on our winter menu that has now moved to our year-round menu,” Bishop said.
With official tastetesters to decide what should go on the menu and input from sales, Zoetic makes sure that the customers have a role in what goes on the menu. Bishop explains how Zoetic stands out from other coffee shops, with the role they play in the community.
“Our customers do love what we make for them, but more than that, they feel like they have a place where they feel loved and cared about. We are openly a Christian coffee shop, so many people come in to pray, read their bible and meet in small groups. It has filled a need in our community where they have a safe and cozy place to gather,” Bishop said.
Bishop shares advice to high school students wanting to start their own business in the future.
“Be humble, learn what you can, but be open to think outside the box. Pave your own way and stick to what you’re passionate about. People can feel your authenticity,” Bishop said.
In the future, Bishop plans to keep Zoetic’s two locations thriving, with new and exciting things coming up soon.
“Our locations have some events coming up, and we are always thinking about new ideas, new drinks and events,” Bishop said. “Follow our Instagram to stay up to date.”
To keep up with Zoetic’s new events and drinks, follow @zoeticcoffee on Instagram!
