FAITH — A love for the service industry, for cooking and for people are what drew the mother-daughter duo of Mabel and Karina Jacome to go into business and what keeps them serving the community.

The two work together to serve coffee, tea and homemade pastries at M&K Trolley Espresso, located at 204 N. Main St., Faith.

Not your typical coffee shop, the business is not a brick and mortar building, but an actual trolley, something that mom Mabel wanted.

Mabel isn’t new to the business world as she said she previously owned a restaurant, Maracas, in downtown Salisbury, but with a laugh she said it was her first venture and “sometimes you succeed and sometimes you fail” and they closed the doors and she went back to work in the corporate world.

Following a medical leave, she lost her job in that corporate position, and daughter Karina, who was also employed there, quit as well. Mabel decided to pursue her dream of being in the service industry and decided to open a coffee shop, but she didn’t want a regular building as she said that was too boring. She wanted a truck, but not even a regular truck, still too boring, she said.

“So I said, Lord, if you want me to go this route, send me a trolley, but not just any trolley, a blue trolley,” Mabel said, “and sure enough the broker who was working with me called me and said hey, Mabel I have a blue trolley in Elkin.”

The thing about this location, she added, is that she had a really good friend who had died but her daughter lived in Elkin and she had visited her; therefore, the town had a special meaning to her.

With the trolley being mobile, they participated in some events and settled in Granite Quarry; however, that location didn’t work out and Mabel said, “God put us here in this little place in Faith,” and Karina added that they were now able to do what they have always wanted to do, “in the sense of being in a small community where everybody knows your name, that style and to share love and share the gospel” she said, noting that the verse John 3:16 is displayed in the trolley, and they have messages on their business cards and receipts because this is very important to them, Karina said.

“I do believe that as Christians we need to represent our God,” Mabel said and for her actions to reflect her beliefs. 

The M&K Trolley Espresso, named for Mabel and Karina, is not a mobile unit now, but fixed to their location and has been connected to the city’s water and sewer and electricity.

The two each have their own roles in the business but share the same goal of providing quality homemade products with customer service. And while they may bump heads some, mom said, they really do work well together, adding that she is blessed. 

It’s Mabel, who went to culinary school and loves coffee, and “really wanted to get into all things coffee,” she said,

Karina is the people-person and waits on the customers, as she said how important it is to have a connection with people.

“I try to memorize everybody’s name so when they come in,” she can call them by name and remember what’s going on in their lives and have a conversation.

She is also the artsy one and created their logos and does the social media, noting they are very active on social media and she informs the community about events going on at the shop and any updates they might have.

Mabel is the hands-on person and does everything else, she said, which includes cooking, something she loves to do, working hard to keep what they make as organic as possible, noting that their spinach and cheese pastries are organic.

“We make our own caramels, our own drizzles, everything is 100 percent natural” and all of their baked goods are made by them, Mabel said, to which Karina added, “we are very adamant about selling what we would consume ourselves.”

Mabel said they are working hard on getting a permit to sell additional items such as sandwiches and some breakfast and lunch items.

The two share baking duties as Karina said she likes to bake and the precise work of baking while Mabel enjoys the fast paced type of cooking and whipping up recipes as she goes, each turning out good, as Karina agreed this was the case and that her mom was an amazing cook.

The M&K Trolley Espresso is a family business as Mabel said her husband, Frank, and son, Diego, do all the construction work that is needed including the refurbishing of the trolley and some shelf-type areas in the yard where people can place their goodies and stand and fellowship.

They also have another daughter, Natalie, and granddaughter Emma, who live in Hickory.

Emma was the inspiration for several items on their menu. One such item, the loaded croissant has Nutella, homemade caramel and dulce de leche, and Emma loves everything with Nutella, Karina said.

A Christmas drink, which they called the Silent Night, also contains things Emma loves.

“It’s dessert in a cup for Emma because it’s Nutella and shortbread cookies,” said Mabel.

While the industry isn’t new, she did say they had created their own recipes, one of them being their Spanish latte, and their Dream Milk, a family recipe, which has been a hit.

Mabel said that all the women in the family have been great cooks and she has recipes that have been handed down that she uses in the business.

Born in Cuba and raised in Miami, Florida, and here making their home in Faith, Mabel said the remainder of her family still lives in Miami.

The coffee trolley first opened the week of the Faith Fourth events, but as of yet, they have not celebrated their grand opening. She anticipates it being held in the middle of October and if not before Halloween, it will be the first week of November.

Mabel said they were waiting for temperatures to drop and they still have some things to do outside, plus she hopes to gain her food permit and be able to offer food at the event and beyond.

The shop is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Discounts for veterans and first responders are offered on coffee orders to those presenting their ID when they place their order.

If they are able to begin serving brunch items, Mabel noted the extended hours, would possibly be on Fridays and Saturdays and then brunch hours on Sundays; however extended hours are contingent on other factors taking place.  But they are training and hiring additional help as they stay busy seven days a week working and preparing for the next day, and Karina is also a student at RCCC and works a second job.

One thing the pair wants to do is to be engaged in the community and when the town has events, they want to be open as much as possible.

“We really do want to be a part of the community,” said Mabel. “The town of Faith, as small as it is, is very active. They are trying to engage with the community as well.”

Plus they also want to offer family-friendly activities at the trolley.

“We are trying to rebrand our name to the trolley station,” she said, and “engage the community, engage the youth.”

Food and coffee bring people together, and “this type of industry is kind of like an ice breaker,” and God made it happen, Mabel said

The growth goal the two would like to see is to franchise the business as Karina said she would love to see one open in their hometown of Miami and other places in North Carolina as well, with different trolleys. This is a long-term plan, she said.

And they want people when they come to spend money on their cup of coffee to enjoy it, “without breaking their pockets,” and engage in nature and “enjoy God’s creation,” Mabel said.

The business has a faithful following since they opened with some in the community making it a daily or at least every other day visit, Karina said.

I think for the most part, maybe 98 percent, they return unless they live far away,” she said.

Neighbor Ken Hall, one of those loyal customers, said he thought it was “the best coffee in the county.”

As for what is the most popular item they sell, Karina said she thought it was their Caramelo Macchiato and that’s because, “we home make our caramel.”

Their blue trolley is quaint, Mabel said, and it looks just right in the spot where it sits. This has been her dream, to have her own small business and bring a little bit of her culture and her flavors and share it with the community, and that dream has come true.

 Check out their Facebook page and website for information and their menu.