Fork. Spoon. Life. Robert Sanchez Jr.
After more than a decade of working in coffee shops, Robert Sanchez Jr. got a push from a dying friend who thought he should start his own business. She gave him an espresso machine, and that was the beginning of Ay! Chihuahua coffee.
Sanchez started with farmers markets and pop-ups in 2018, and this year he’s back at the South Milwaukee Downtown Market, 1101 Milwaukee Ave., South Milwaukee, from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursdays through October, and at West Allis Farmers Market, 6501 W. National Ave., from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays through Thanksgiving.
The Milwaukee native’s business focus is a nod to his family’s roots, starting with the Mexican-grown coffee beans he uses exclusively in his drinks.
Sanchez, 47, is a father of five and grandfather of seven. He lives in South Milwaukee.
Entrepreneurial inspiration
Late ‘90s, I used to have a record store. That was my first entrepreneurial leap. I wanted to open a coffee shop and record store, but I wasn’t as into the coffee then and the license was a lot more complicated than opening a retail store. I just ended up opening the record store. It didn’t last long, but it was a good experience.
Later, a friend had a coffee shop downtown in the lobby at 735 N. Water St. I started working for him. … Then I ended up working for Bella Cafe (in the Third Ward), which is now closed. … I worked there for 10 years and managed it the last two years before COVID. …
Tim Talsky, the owner of Bella Cafe, passed away several years ago. … Tim’s sister, Mary Talsky, used to manage Bella Cafe. She was diagnosed with cancer. Right before she passed away she gave me an espresso machine and some other equipment she had for catering. She told me to start my own business. … A year and a half after she passed away, I started doing some coffee tastings of Mexican coffee.
Sourcing sips
I source Mexican coffee beans. My coffee beans are from Chiapas, Mexico. Most Mexican coffee comes from that area. Santa Cruz has some coffee too, and a couple other areas. Mexican coffee is medium, and my roaster does a medium to light blend. It is a chocolaty to caramel taste. I do all my drinks with the Mexican coffee beans, and we do drip coffee. We also sell the beans.
Behind the beans
I’m not into the roasting. I found Cafe de Arts Roastery, 830 W. St. Paul, Waukesha, he roasts my beans. They’re perfect for my specialty drinks.
Everyone thinks the beans are from Chihuahua, Mexico, but the name actually came from my dog. I’m a big dog lover, and I had a chihuahua for 15 years. He was a big part of my life. Now I have a new one, her name is Reyna. She’s about 6, and she’s my little mascot.
Specialty sips
We have a signature drink, Ay! Chihuahua, a pretty traditional Mexican mocha. We add the Mexican chocolate and a little spice in there. Then we have a horchata latte, one of the most popular drinks we make. Another is our Mexican mocha, and that is pretty much just Mexican chocolate. We also do a blanco mocha, which is white chocolate. Those are our main drinks, and we do them hot or cold. We also make our own chai with Rishi teas.
Building a business
My first coffee event was at South Milwaukee farmers market. A market was the cheapest thing I could afford at the time. I couldn’t afford a brick and mortar spot. Back in 2018 I started at the farmers market, and this summer I’m back at the South Milwaukee farmers market on Thursdays, then West Allis.
This year is the first year I have the trailer to debut. I did it mostly myself, which is how I can afford it. I also have a small converted fishing shanty, just enough room for myself and my things. The trailer is only at the markets right now.
Sips and support
We did have a kiosk at Element 84 apartment complex, on 84th between Orchard and Greenfield Ave. in West Allis. Last season, (West Allis) mayor Dan Devine tried my coffee and asked what I was going to do for winter. Because of COVID all our indoor events were shut down. He reached out to businesses in West Allis. Element 84 had these retail spaces that are phenomenal. I couldn’t afford that yet. I’m not ready for a brick and mortar. Why not just set up in the lobby? The mayor was so nice. Element 84 was so nice. Now the markets have started again, but I have an application to get back there for the winter.
Reasons and roots
I’ve been to Mexico, but never to a coffee farm or anything like that. I’d love to visit the farms. My grandpa lives outside of Cancun. We were supposed to go right before COVID, now we’re trying to get back soon.
Trailer time
Food trucks are expensive. … I saw a little horse trailer parked in this business, and it featured cocktails. That hit me, I can do my coffee bar in a (renovated) horse trailer. It took some months to find the trailer. I thought it would be cool, and I was motivated by Instagram. I’ll be using the Soup Market’s kitchen when I get my food license.
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Fork. Spoon. Life. explores the everyday relationship that local notables (within the food community and without) have with food. To suggest future personalities to profile, email psullivan@gannett.com.
