Veronica Martinez (left), owner of Puerto Rican–inspired mobile coffee service Cafecito Mio, will open a permanent space in downtown Orlando inside Authentic Books, owned by Natisha Asbell (right). (KENDAL ASBURY)
Authentic Books is transforming its weekend coffee pop-up lounge into a permanent addition to the shop starting in January.
In May, Authentic Books expanded its sensory subscription service into a brick-and-mortar store, becoming both an in-person bookstore and an order fulfillment location. After recently purchasing the space next door to her shop to serve as the packing studio, owner Natisha Asbell converted the other half of her shop into a “bookish lounge.”
Since the beginning of October, Asbell has been hosting cafe pop-ups with local coffee catering service Cafecito Mio in this newly transformed space on select weekends. The mobile coffee cart has been serving its specialty craft drinks, lattes, chai and artisan sodas in Authentic Books, reflecting the shop’s mission to provide a unique, sensory reading experience by matching themed signature drinks to the spotlighted book of the month.
Veronica Martinez, founder of Cafecito Mio, said she is excited about this new chapter for both her coffee company and Authentic Books. Martinez started her venture as a catering service with occasional pop-ups at local events and small businesses, intertwining her love of coffee and passion for her Puerto Rican culture.
Cafecito Mio is a local coffee catering service and pop-up shop founded by Veronica Martinez, who is dedicated to bringing people together through coffee. (KENDAL ASBURY)
Martinez said she chose to pull from the flavors and traditions of Puerto Rico because of her heritage and the connection it symbolizes in the ethnic coffee culture. She is excited to bring this experience and influence to Authentic Books, one of the only minority- and woman-owned bookstores in Orlando.
Martinez and Asbell plan to open the coffee space inside the bookstore lounge in January, though a specific date and name had not yet been announced when this was written. To learn more about Cafecito Mio and Authentic Books, visit CafecitoMioOrlando.com and AuthenticBooks.com.
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