Strike one off Gina Lazarus’s bucket list. The dream to open a coffee shop came true for the pilot-cum-business entrepreneur when she debuted her GinZoe’s Café at the new-look Countryside. Suitably impressed by the young dynamo’s zeal and winning smile, we talk new beginnings over cups of chocolate mocha lattes.

Thursday Life (TL): Do tell us why an airline pilot harbours secret wishes of starting a coffee shop?

Gina Lazarus (GL): Well, the dream started long before I became a pilot. At the age of 12, when I snuck and made my first cup of coffee (supposedly too young to be drinking coffee), the aroma caught me, and then the taste was so delectable, I would never forget.

From then on I always tried to experiment with different spices in the brewing process, like cinnamon, nutmeg, whatever I could find that complemented coffee.

I must say that in addition to all that, Starbucks has played a major role in opening up my eyes as to what can be really done with coffee. Now as a pilot, it is even more exciting, as I travel the world and experience even more possibilities that coffee has to offer.

TL: What fuelled the love affair with coffee shops?

GL: I started travelling to countries all over the world where I was exposed to different brews and blends. Learning more about the diverse nature of coffee helped to spark my interest even more. However, my first real experience with a coffee shop was in college. I remember walking in and watching the biggest coffee machine I had ever seen making me my first cappuccino. That experience was just simply amazing. I sat outside the shop with my friends and knew instantly that one day something like this had to be mine.

TL: Do you think the city landscape has reached a saturation point for coffee shops?

GL: No two coffee shops in Jamaica are the same; having a variety of options for people to choose from makes it easier for the needs of different people to be met. I believe that coffee shops are still a growing market in Kingston, and even with the city ever changing, ever growing, I always see space for just one more… mine.

This is just a start for me, with the next step being coffee catering to businesses and parties, and eventually opening my own shop.

TL: What’s your favourite coffee brew?

GL: I mostly use Blue Mountain coffee, but sometimes I will prepare coffee with sample beans from Panama, Brazil and Colombia. If I had to choose one brew as the perfect brew I would say Blue Mountain medium roasted beans, which I include in my basic latte, with a hint of some exotic spice or flavour, such as gingerbread or vanilla.

TL: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve discovered in your business start-up undertaking?

GL: The most surprising thing that I have been faced with when it comes to this endeavour is the fact that there is no real time for hits and misses. Only HITS! The customer from the start will always look for something superior and with that, there is no time for warm-ups and practices. They require something that immediately strikes their palate with an appeal like no other. This would not only secure his/her return but also ensure that you would benefit from what I believe is Jamaica’s best marketing tool: ‘word of mouth.’ With that said, I’m happy to say that it proved evident just last week Wednesday where, as you know, we had our soft opening, and our customers from that opening, along with others based on recommendations, all came out to enjoy another cup or two of coffee. So I’ve learnt the true essence of how important it is to not only meet the needs and desires of the customers, but also to surpass them.

TL: What will be GinZoe’s offerings at Countryside and when you are open for business?

GL: I will be offering a range of coffees, from cappuccinos and lattes to frappes, in all different flavours. Also, I will be introducing coffee shots with liqueurs and more of a wide variety of coffee liqueur beverages. I’m also incorporating into my menu a wide selection of tea lattes. GinZoe’s Café will be open at Countryside, initially every Friday between 4:00 pm and 2:00 am. There will be more days to come!

TL: Any experimentation underway to create a signature beverage for GinZoe’s?

GL: Oh yes, I do have a few signature beverages already. So far I’ve gotten great reviews for my chocolate mocha latte and my gingerbread latte. I’m also going to introduce a new beverage every other week, to keep the mystery going at GinZoe’s Café.