The true mark of a great coffee shop is how it makes you feel after a visit. The owners of Waves Coffee House in Sunridge take great pride in making sure their customers leave feeling happy and wanting to come back. “We know that all our customers are very busy with their daily lives,” says co-owner Mary Shum. “We want our customers to feel like they’ve had an energy booster when they walk out. Therefore, our main focus was to create a relaxing atmosphere, where many can enjoy a perfect cup of coffee.”
Mary and her husband Li Teng, who comes from a family of restaurant owners and has worked in the food industry across Alberta, both love drinking coffee. On their shared coffee breaks they would try many different coffee places searching for that perfect cup. Eventually, they decided they should just open their own shop and in 2013, Waves Coffee House in Sunridge was born. They are now bringing in the next generation with their daughter, Jackie Teng, helping out as well. “What I love about being an entrepreneur is you get to experience the different ways to create; your ideas come to life in front of you,” says Jackie. “There is always a result and you learn from every mistake and every direction you choose to walk will be a learning experience.”