LOCAL

MSU student opens Château Coffee Co. with a menu inspired by his Lebanese roots

Rachel Greco
Lansing State Journal

LANSING - Strong, rich Arabic coffee has been a part of Tarek Chawich's life since childhood.

So, too, has been his belief that if you want something you have to work hard to get it.

Tarek Chawich, 24, owner of Château Coffee Co. poses for a portrait Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, at his new coffee shop.

Château Coffee Co., the coffee shop he opened this month in an 1,800-square-foot space off South Waverly Road, is the product of both.

Chawich's new business is a tribute to his Lebanese roots, with an interior design that's inspired by the French aesthetic in Lebanon, and a menu that includes Arabic coffee and baklava — two tastes that were central to his upbringing.

Chawich, 24, was born in Lebanon's Beqaa Valley. His family moved to East Lansing when he was a child.

He graduated from East Lansing High School in 2015, and he studied supply chain, entrepreneurship and innovation, and retail management at Michigan State University. Now he's pursuing a master's degree in market research at MSU.

Chawich chose small business ownership over a corporate job, he said, because he wanted to focus on coffee, something he's always been passionate about.

He aims to create a sense of community around his shop by standing out.

"To be successful, you really have to kind of think outside the box, think different," he said. "That's what I'm striving for."

A menu inspired by childhood

Chawich was raised on authentic Arabic coffee, made with finely ground beans boiled in water.

"It's stronger and higher in caffeine than espresso," Chawich said. "And it kind of lasts throughout the whole day."

Tarek Chawich, 24, owner of Château Coffee Co. prepares a specialty coffee Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, at his new coffee shop.

Growing up he'd drink the strong coffee from a 2-ounce glass with a piece of baklava in the morning.

Customers will find both childhood favorites on the menu at Château Coffee Co., along with French croissants, ladyfingers made with pistachios and walnuts, various other treats, and teas. Most menu items are made on site.

Traditionalists will find brewed coffee, cappuccinos, flat whites, mochas and lattes, along with smoothies and sandwiches.

Staff members will make coffee drinks with 517 Coffee Company's beans; it's a local roastery with its own retail shop on South Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Being a young business owner is an advantage, Chawich said, because he's open to new ideas his employees have. Customers can expect to see some of those suggestions on the menu.

"The employees are involved with everything and that's kind of what the culture we want," he said. "The innovation starts here and we go from there."

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Becoming a local coffee favorite

Noha Elkasti, Chawich's mother, said raising three boys on her own wasn't easy. Their success in adulthood is a great source of pride, she said.

"Tarek worked so hard day in and day out from the day he enrolled at MSU until he opened his business," she said. "To see his work ethic and determination to reach his goal makes me the happiest person on the earth."

And Elkasti loves that the coffee shop's menu pays homage to her family's culture.

"I want people to know about our traditions," she said.

Chawich said the location he leased, a former Biggby Coffee at 1701 S. Waverly Road, offers customers a great local gathering space.

"Once I saw this spot, I thought this would be like the perfect place for us to start," he said.

Château Coffee Co. in the 1700 block of South Waverly Road in Lansing.

The 20-seat coffee shop is open now, but plans a grand opening Feb. 1

"You've got to really care about the customer experience and make sure the customer is welcomed, and feels like they're walking into an actual local coffee shop, rather than a franchise place," he said. "This has to be the spot to go to when you want to meet someone for a cup of coffee, or you want to meet a family member that's coming in from out of town."

Contact Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @GrecoatLSJ .