A man from Yonkers turned successful music producer turned barista in Port Chester.
From the smell of freshly brewed coffee to the friendly people to the modern feel of the space, the Producer Coffee Studio on Willett Avenue has it all.
“Everything is fresh. All the coffee we get here is fresh,” said owner Noah Mrunakazi.
After years of rubbing elbows with celebrities like Nicki Minaj, Paris Hilton, record producer and singer Pharrell Williams, and Reverend Run of legendary rap group Run-DMC, the former music producer , opened the store on February 13th.
“When I was making something for someone and it turned out to be a great track and it was a big hit, I was behind and I was like, ‘Oh, I wish my name came out like that.’ It’s like saying,” Mrnacaj says.
So the obvious question is: how and why is the transition from music to coffee taking place?
Mrnacaj, who attended Roosevelt High School, says the coffee studio was a dream he had to pursue.
“One day I was sitting and thinking, what can I do? What can I do?” I was like, “What about coffee shops?” I looked it up and here I am,” Mrnacaj recalls.
Mrnacaj is a self-professed barista, serving every customer a fresh cup of Java. He believes in this product and so does his wife, his Julianne Mrnacaj. In addition to her full-time job, she also spends time at coffee shops.
“I really believe he’s a visionary. When he puts his heart into something, he puts his heart into it. He studies it until he can’t research it, so it’s very exciting is,” she says.
Coffee shop patrons are equally loyal.
“Everything you need is here, from danishes to coffee, and everything tastes really good here,” says customer Mark Caligiuri.
For now, making music is on the back burner, but making great coffee for his customers is all that’s on the young businessman’s mind.
“I’m a little nervous, but so far so good,” says Mrnacaj.
