There’s a new brew in town, and it comes with a taste of Yemen.
Shibam Coffee, located at 1120 S. Route 59, brings the country’s culture to Naperville with authentic teas and beans straight from Yemen’s coffee fields.
Naperville owner inspired by Yemeni flavors
“Shibam is one of the main cities in Yemen. Shibam is, they say, the New York of Yemen or the Manhattan of Yemen,” said Sohail Quddussi, owner of Shibam Coffee in Naperville. “That’s where the coffee is brewed.”
A Naperville resident born in Pakistan and raised in Dubai, Quddussi was inspired to open a location in his town after tasting the Middle Eastern flavors.
“I never had a chance to try anything from Yemen or from any other part of that Middle Eastern culture,” Quddussi said. “Once I did try the Adani Chai, the Mufawar, some of the other teas and coffees, it truly inspired me to open up a business that would be a good benefit to the community. And for the past year or so, we have been looking for a really good location.”
Bringing Yemeni culture
Yemeni culture is reflected in the store’s products…
“Everything that you see in the Shibam stores comes directly from Yemen,” Quddussi said.
Shibam is also highlighted in the decor, with silhouettes of the city’s skyline on the walls.
“We have 5,000 square feet of space here, with plenty of dining area. We also do have multiple conference rooms. We also have a prayer room because some people, they want to pray, so that’s for them here,” Quddussi said.
November grand opening
The coffee shop opened on Oct. 3, but the store will celebrate its grand opening on Nov. 15 with a Yemeni band.
“Just come in and chill out, and I’m sure you will have the best of times,” Quddussi said.
If you have a story idea, send us a tip!