By Metta Archilla-Ishida
Just Love Coffee Café owner, Tamara Hamilton, is a remarkable woman that comes from humble beginnings. An endearing and nostalgic memory rests in the wise, hard-working, yet gentle hands of her “Granny,” as Tamara spent the summers learning to cook from scratch. Tamara lovingly reminisces, “That coffee can full of bacon grease was a Holy Grail of sorts; we fried everything in it. It was Southern cooking at its best.” Recalling the nostalgic smells of that kitchen. Tamara’s greatest treasure is Granny’s handwritten recipes passed down to her, as she lovingly makes them for her own family.
This hands-on background is exactly where Tamara cultivated her love for food. But what spurred her passion was an instance shared with her husband/co-owner of Just Love Coffee Café, Jon Hamilton. “While on a vacation cruise, Jon and I opted to do the Chef’s Table dinner on the ship. Being in the restaurant business, I was in absolute awe of the kitchen aboard the ship; it was expansive and immaculate and impressive!”
Pivotal food experiences throughout Tamara’s life paired with those shared with Jon, led to the realization that the food industry is where they would stake their claim. I asked Tamara, “Why Just Love Coffee?” She responded thoughtfully, “After being in the franchise business for over 21 years with a large firm in Houston, it was time to find something for myself. The Just Love concept combines great coffee, tasty food, and a platform for our passion: to give back to our community.”
As franchisees with Just Love Coffee Café, Tamara and Jon are free to customize the restaurant and menu to their liking, affording the pair the most control over product, flexibility over market drivers, a hand in creativity, and an intimate handshake with quality. While most coffee places have great coffee and mediocre food, and restaurants have fabulous food and “eh” coffee, Tamara wanted to offer the best of both worlds.
The couple built their home in Cypress about two years ago, after falling in love with the community and its people. Residing at the very edge of Cypress at the cuff of Tomball, they delighted in the many walking and biking trails, but realized that there were no coffee shops or eateries in the area. When a “For Lease” sign appeared in a strip shopping center, Tamara laid it to prayer. Her answer became clear; this would make a great spot for a cafe!
Giving back to the community is one of Tamara’s driving factors as a businesswoman. Her story is familiar and inspiring. Tamara explains, “There was a time in my life many, many years ago that I needed some help. Not much, but just a little help. I was behind on bills and trying to raise a son on my own and I just couldn’t seem to make ends meet. There was a sweet couple that helped me catch up on my electric bill and filled my fridge and pantry with groceries. That was just enough to help me get back on my feet. I think of them often and try to pay it forward as I can because I know that there are so many people out there in the same situation that I was.”
I LOVE Just Love Coffee Café. It’s Food and Fellowship as its core of intent, Just Love Coffee Café started a “Love Fund” when the restaurant opened. This fund helps families out with small expenses like a trip to the grocery store, an unexpected prescription, a tank of gas to get to work, clothing, water bill, etc. Bingo Night Wednesdays’ and Trivia Night Thursdays’ proceeds go into the fund. Just Love Coffee Café recently partnered with Metta’s Local Eats Dine Out for Charity, benefitting Cy-Fair Helping Hands in serving the hungry and homeless.
Just Love Coffee Café is a family-owned business with a houseful of boys, ages 19, 18, and 7. The 19-year-old runs the kitchen and is training to be a manager. Three additional locations are planned over the next few years, a legacy for each son. Tamara explains, “I believe in leaving them a future and not just a sum of money. We do have stress; living and working together doesn’t leave you with much alone time, and it’s hard to leave work at work sometimes.” Tamara and Jon are God-driven; their strength and faith comes from their steadfast beliefs that anything is possible, and Just Love truly is.
Just Love Coffee Café
13727 Sunset Canyon Dr.
Tomball, TX 77377
281-547-6984
Justlovecoffeecafe.com
