Today we’d like to introduce you to Nassos Tsafalopoulos.
Nassos, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My story starts back in 1990 when my best friend revealed his idea to open one of the first modern coffee bistros in Greece and asked me to accompany him to Italy. We ended up in Trieste, discussing a business collaboration with Illy Caffè. The Italians asked for one of us to stay behind and train as a barista. I volunteered, and that’s when I fell in love with the art of coffee making. I returned to Greece and worked as a barista in my friend’s bistro. As the years passed, my love for coffee grew more and more. Even when I took a break from coffee to pursue a career in investment banking, my thoughts would always go back to that bistro where I served my first cup of coffee. I married my lovely wife – a Dallas native – and in 2015 we decided to relocate here. Everyone in the family expected me to continue my banking career in the US. But, for me, it was time to follow my true calling. I opened a booth in the Dallas Farmers Market, serving Greek and Italian style coffee and pastries. From there, I ended up in the Frisco Fresh Market, as the proud owner of Yiayia’s Coffeehouse (a specialty coffee house aiming to bring people a focused and an exceptional coffee experience, based on Italian and Greek coffee cultures). Since then, my greatest joy has been seeing my customers getting addicted to good quality coffee. I am proud to contribute to a growing coffee culture in the DFW area.
Has it been a smooth road?
My path has been bumpy. We relocated to the US because of the financial crisis in Greece. When I opened my first coffee stand in Dallas, my father (and best friend) passed away. I found myself back in Greece to support my mother and my sister and stayed there for six months. When I returned back to the US, I started my small business in Frisco. After a successful year there, my sister passed away, so I had to return to Greece again for a while. I am now back in Frisco. It has been truly difficult, but I am comforted by my dear wife, my two adorable children, and my customers and friends. Life’s too short. Enjoy it (preferably with friends, over a good cup of coffee)!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Yiayia’s Coffee House story. Tell us more about the business.
It takes more than beans to serve a great cup of coffee. We are a specialty coffeehouse aiming to bring people a focused and an exceptional coffee experience. Inspired by the Greek and Italian coffee culture, we believe that coffee drinking is a ritual among friends. The motivation behind our coffee is simple: uncompromising quality. Yiayia’s is a unique place that combines the best European coffee-shop traditions serving homemade baked goods and artisan sandwiches. Whether your morning coffee, afternoon tea or end of the day relaxation, we hope you share it with us. We are well-known for our specialty coffees and our fresh coffee beans. To our knowledge, we are the only venue that serves authentic Greek freddo cappuccino and freddo espresso. We also distribute locally roasted and Italian coffee beans (our best selling products are Italian House and Texas Maple Pecan). Most of our customers order these products online.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
We want to expand and to bring our products and coffee culture to multiple locations in the DFW area.
Pricing:
- Freddo Cappuccino (16 oz.) $4.50
- Freddo Espresso (12 oz.) $3.75
- Cold Brew Texas Maple Pecan (16 oz.) $4.50
- Cold Brew Italian House (16 oz.) $4.25
- Espresso Soda (12 oz.) $4
- Yiayia’s Freddo Caramel (16 oz.) $5
- Texas Maple Pecan Coffee Beans (12 oz.) $14
- Italian House Coffee Beans (12 oz.) $14
Contact Info:
- Address: 9215 John W. Elliot Dr.
Frisco, TX 75034 - Website: https://www.yiayias.coffee/
- Phone: (469) 267-2095
- Email: yiayiascoffeehouse@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yiayiascoffee/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yiayiascoffee/
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