After the coffee shop operating in the Arizona Capitol Museum suddenly closed in February, baristas Tara King and Geena Stacy took a leap and reopened it themselves. Now, King co-owns and runs White Blossom Café with her partner, Peter and has become a familiar face to lawmakers, state employees and other frequent flyers in need of a cup of joe. 

What is your background in coffee?

This time last year I had just started working for Noble Ground. I’d been working in coffee before that for about five years, in and out of a couple of different places. I didn’t think this was necessarily going to be my full-time job forever. And then I tried a couple of other things, and then went, actually, this is going to be my full-time job forever. I don’t want to do anything else. I started really enjoying working here and wanted to work my way up within the business that was here before. And then (Noble Ground) decided to call it quits everywhere.

What was it like when Noble Ground closed?

We had no forewarning. That week before, there were a couple of deliveries that hadn’t come in, and we were like, “something’s weird,” but we had no warning other than that. Thursday afternoon came. I had just closed at the Capitol because we closed a little bit earlier than the other locations, and on my way home, I got an email that said, “Don’t go into work tomorrow.” Then we got an email saying there’s an 8 a.m. full staff meeting on digital. We thought maybe they’ll close a couple of locations, like some newer, not super high performing ones. But at the Capitol, the session had just started. We were one of the most profitable locations. We get to that meeting, and they lay us all off. From there, it was something I’ve always tossed around in my head with no real plans, like, maybe one day I’ll open my own shop. I didn’t think that was something that was ever gonna happen. I didn’t think that was something that would be profitable. Then, after the location at the Capitol closed down, Peter was the one who was like, “This coffee shop is actually a good idea.” You have a captive audience there. It’s not something we have to build from the ground up. We have a bit more infrastructure, and people already know us. So we just said, let’s go for it. We made contact with the Business Enterprise Program operations manager. I think he saw my email before (Noble Ground) had contacted him to tell him that they wouldn’t be coming back. But we were able to make those connections and string things along until we got the contract and got the space.

What are some of the challenges you’ve experienced since taking over?

Both a positive and a negative: so much of the space and the equipment are technically leased and owned by the state. It’s great, financially, not to have to worry about paying for upkeep and equipment that’s years old and needs fixing. We’ve had coffee technicians come in and fix our espresso machine a couple of times, and that’s fully on us, and it’s always a pretty penny. But finding the right people to contact and nudging that along is a little more difficult. We’re fairly confined to (our) hours because of the museum. We don’t open till 8:30 a.m. because we can’t get into the museum until eight, but everyone wants their coffee as soon as the day starts. It’s nice not to have to be here at six in the morning, or five in the morning, like at other coffee shops, but I’m sure people would appreciate being able to get their coffee early. We’re not open on the weekends. Personally, I love that. As a business owner, I wish we could have that Saturday and Sunday revenue. 

What are the upsides of owning the cafe?

I feel like I’ve developed such an amazing community. Like all of my closest friends are my White Blossom regulars or were and now have moved on to other jobs. I genuinely enjoy talking to people every day. I’ve had regulars at so many other places, but it’s not quite the same. People come in here, hang out, work on a puzzle, play Uno. During the session that might be a little different – everyone’s a little bit busier then. And just feeling the support. People want us to stick around, and they want to shout us out, and they want to buy our tumblers. Also, coming up with seasonal menus is always fun, and hearing people’s feedback on that. It’s not always easy, lots of tough decisions. 

What’s the craziest drink order you’ve gotten?

Dirty matcha, matcha with espresso. I will do it, I will make you whatever you want, but that one’s a crime. I have tried some crazier things myself. I made myself an espresso and Coca Cola the other day. I really like an espresso spritz, but I did have a couple of people try it and they were concerned. 

What’s your most popular drink?

Right now, people are loving the sugar cookie latte. All three of our Capitol favorites are consistently ordered: the copper dome, the honeybee and the desert garden. Those three are constantly on rotation. But everyone always loves seeing the seasonal stuff. 

Who are some of the Capitol celebrities you see visit often?

(Secretary of State) Adrian Fontes comes in. I don’t want to say a lot, but he comes in often enough. Honestly, when I started with Noble Ground, I didn’t really know anything about Arizona politics, and I kind of liked it that way. I don’t need to know who everybody is. I know them by what they’re drinking and the conversations we have. Obviously, all kinds of meetings happen in here, but I feel like a lot of people walk into here and we’re like Switzerland. And I think people kind of respect that about this place, because it’s a human need. We all need to get our coffee and get out. 

What would you say to people who haven’t discovered the cafe yet?

Please come by anytime. I love welcoming anybody in. This is a great neutral ground in every way. It’s a great spot to take a break from your office or to meet with someone. And even if you don’t like coffee, we have so many options and I will walk you through them. I feel like, especially with all these fancy coffee shops, people get so worried. They’re like, “I don’t know what a flat white is.” And I’m like, come talk to me. There’s nothing I love more than figuring out what you want to drink. So we can find something that you’re gonna love no matter what.