Elgin-primarily based cafe wowed in Texas females-owned small business levels of competition

ELGIN, Texas (KXAN) — When Monica Nava opened Chemn Cafe in downtown Elgin two a long time in the past, the own milestone was five several years in the earning. A very first-time business enterprise owner, she had expended fifty percent a decade performing with metropolis leaders, examining potential areas, studying enterprise tips and making her credit score.

Opening in July 2019, Nava never ever envisioned Chemn Cafe to turn into a community watering hole and communal place for store regulars and passers by alike.

“It’s a thing I did not even anticipate to have, the local community being so supportive here,” she stated.

Chemn Cafe experienced lots to rejoice Sunday, in addition to its anniversary. The store was recognized as the Central Texas regional winner of the Governor’s Fee for Women’s little small business pitch competitors, in partnership with the Beacon Condition Fund.

The competition awards $7,500 in financial aid cash to a girls-owned business for its contributions to the higher local community.

“I cried when they announced the winner,” Nava explained. “I can’t inform you how much that meant to me.”

Starr Corbin serves as a commissioner on the Governor’s Commission for Women. When it arrived to deciding on the business pitch competition’s Central Texas winner, she said she was impressed by Chemn Cafe’s tenacity and power in surviving COVID-19.

“The grit and resolve to begin her organization, adhere with her small business and thrive in a local community, specifically in spite of the latest situations with COVID seriously resonated with us, in phrases of why we wanted to start out this pitch competition,” Corbin said. “To really reward girls of all ranges of industries for that grit and dedication for starting off a business, but also supply a minor bit of cash to help them keep that company by means of some continuing complicated situations.”

The inspiration for Chemn Cafe arrived from Nava’s own enjoy for science. Now, she’s hoping to translate that exact really like she uncovered in the classroom into her espresso store, courtesy the extra resources from the little company competitiveness.

“We definitely noticed how complicated it was for learners and moms and dads to perform from house. A great deal of people did not have wifi, and since we’re going to be open a small bit later on now, I’d like to invite volunteers in to support little ones with their mastering and prep for school.”

Additional cash will be used to assist extend Chemn Cafe’s public outreach initiatives via vendor appearances at festivals and farmers markets throughout the location. Nava additional she has also utilized for a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Fee license to develop shop offerings.

Two yrs just after Chemn Cafe’s opening, the shop was filled to the brim with consumers Sunday, adorned with “happy birthday” decorations and supplemented by plenty of audio, chatter and laughter. Right after the earlier 12 months and a 50 percent of the pandemic, the shop’s designation as a neighborhood area has taken on a entire new which means.

“The buyers that I have coming in here are regulars. I necessarily mean, if you were being to look all around, they were being regulars from working day one,” she said. “So from the first time they came into the store, they loved it and they continue to keep coming again.”