Meet Eric Lee | Coffee Cupper | Roaster | Brewer

e had the good fortune of connecting with Eric Lee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eric, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Simply Coffee was born out of a desire to introduce coffee lovers to the unparalleled wonders of single-origin specialty coffee from around the globe. We firmly believe that black coffee is not just a simple
beverage; it’s a canvas of flavors waiting to be explored. Our mission is clear: to serve coffee as intended
by the skilled hands of its producers, preserving the unique characteristics that each region imparts

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
More often than not, people see coffee and wine as completely unrelated things, yet they really are so similar. There’s a beautiful, complex, and lengthy process to get to an end product. They are also a culmination of the land/country they represent, our mission is to celebrate coffee in that same regard. Simply Coffie is here to do one thing and one thing only, to share the story of the producers and to show the extraordinary coffee they have produced.

I wanted to create a place, a space, where one can truly connect with the land and producers through us, through coffee. It is a place that anyone would have wanted to visit.

Business-wise, the “easy” thing to do would be to copy and paste another neighborhood cafe offering what the people wanted, dare I say Vanilla Latte? However, I wanted to do something that served a much deeper purpose.

Lastly, creating something you believe in and will stand by will always be more
successful (or rewarding) than if you are trying to build something that you think would please
everyone. Who would’ve thought coffee could be so flavorful?

Simply Coffie is here to be different, and unique. The brand is Simply Coffie the story is simple but tasty.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
What a fun topic!

I do LOVE coffee, so naturally, I would start with coffee shop hops! Going in alphabetical order: Blendin Coffee Club, Luce Coffee Roaster, Un Caffe. At Blendin you will be able to geek out with several multi-year award-winning coffee producer’s coffee. Luce takes you on a wild ride focusing on showcasing the unique characteristics of each Single Origin Coffee. Un Caffe will spin your world with its lucrative lineup of creative coffee selections, their Einspanner will keep drooling for days.

Houston Heights area has a lot to offer when it comes to food just off the top of my head, KA Sushi, Flower Child, Ga Dama, to name a few.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout! 哈亞極品咖啡 Haaya’s Coffee
Sherry Mikami, Izuru Mikami (Founders / Best of Panama Competition Judges)

My name is Eric Lee I embarked on a trip to Taiwan in hopes of learning about coffee.
At the time specialty coffee was unheard of in Houston, Texas (2015).

It was Sherry and Izuru who gave me my first sip of Single Origin specialty coffee and I fell in love! Shortly after I joined Haaya’s Coffee as a busboy dreaming about becoming a barista brewing all the wonderful flavors of coffee, I gradually worked my way up the positions and proved myself through the qualification requirements set by the cafe, I was finally able to achieve the barista title. However, coffee doesn’t end there, I then became Izuru’s (head roaster) apprentice to unravel the mystery of coffee roasting. My goal was to have a coffee shop that specializes in Single Origin Specialty Coffee even if it is way outside of the norm of the coffee shops in Houston, it was important for me to build a place that you as a customer would have loved to have around.

Present day, I am now the founder of Simply Coffie, and this is going to sound cheezy but without both Sherry and Izuru’s passion and dedication I would not have such an achievement of today.

Lastly, to Arthur Lee and Eva Lee, thank you for your selfless support all these years and for believing in me.

Website: Currently Under Construction, scheduled to go live in January 2024

Instagram: https://instagram.com/simplycoffie?igshid=NzZlODBkYWE4Ng%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SimplyCoffie

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@simplycoffie?_t=8huhk5AP1j9&_r=1

Image Credits
AplusVisuals