Community Highlights: Meet Saeed Ebrahim of 19 Drips Coffee and Tea

Today we’d like to introduce you to Saeed Ebrahim.

Hi Saeed, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. 
My father Abraham and I started 19 drips in a little store on West Liberty Road in 2019. We traveled to multiple conferences and studied coffee through and through, going to seminars and classes around the world. Humble beginnings, he lost his job, and I quit mine to do this full-time while I was also going to Eastern Michigan University to pursue a finance degree. Battling Covid, a close relative passing away, civil war in the home country, my dad grew up in, and being worried about family; we did what we’ve always done growing up: Push hard to continue succeeding and fight another day. I’ve been hustling my whole life, and just thank god we woke up with food in our stomachs and clothes on our backs. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing is ever smooth. We came from nothing. 6 months after we opened covid hit, a dear family member passed away, we work 7x a week, so we rarely eat breakfast together as a family anymore. Life got tough. A small coffee shop with very little to invest in, putting everything we had was a gamble that we had to take. Prior to this, my father lost his job, and we were going through tons of internal struggle. It’s not easy to manage a family of 7 while running a business that is open every day to keep up with other coffee shops in town 

We’ve been impressed with 19 Drips Coffee and Tea, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We’re a specialty coffee shop located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We’ve taken the art of specialty coffee and infused it with Yemeni cuisine, as well as a NY Deli Style build-your-own menu. Bagels, Pita Bread sandwiches, and rice bowls. 

What sets us apart is we’re a family-run business. We focus on our craft and everyone behind the counter has been trained by my father and I. We offer different Middle Eastern drinks from all over the world. Brand-wise, we are proud that we integrated specialty coffee into the name. The name 19 Drips comes from the amount of grams in our espresso shots, 19 grams of coffee. 

What I want the readers to know is that everything is made to order. Our coffee is weighed out entirely to ensure perfection and quality. There will be something on our menu that you have never tried before, and we do so to create an exciting atmosphere. Coffee and food is beyond just for zoom meetings or to wake up, it’s an experience. 

Our food is served all day, breakfast and lunch. We can make it for you, or even for the office to cater. 

Any big plans?
My brother, Sohib, is now operating the business and is more hands-on. I plan to help him work on trying to find more investors to franchise the operation. We think that it’s ready to start fueling and pushing more of them out there. However, that comes with lots of work and time. 

I’ve finished my finance degree and now looking to work on venturing into other ideas and businesses eventually. After all, being an entrepreneur is what I do best. 

Contact Info:

• Website: 19Drips.com
• Instagram: 19Dripscoffee