COPPERAS COVE, Texas — Ariana San Nicolas is only 18, the owner of a food truck and now her own coffee shop in Copperas Cove, one that she said is a safe place for her community.
Gratitude Coffee came from San Nicolas' desire to provide people a place where they can feel safe. Each day someone walks in, they will find fun drinks and a question that'll make them think about life on a deeper level.
"When you see a question like, 'what's your favorite memory,' it's a reality check," she said.
San Nicolas added that it's her history with battling her mental health that led to wanting to create a safe space for everyone. She knows some people won't speak up, so she's created the safe space for them to do just that.
San Nicolas' coffee shop holds so much meaning in her life. With an assortment of drinks to choose from, there is one that's very close to her heart: "The Charlie Drink."
She created this seasonal drink to honor her friend Charlie who died in 2022 after battling cancer for years. San Nicolas remembers Charlie as a fun, giggly, happy person that didn't let anything get in her way, including cancer.
"There's too many words to describe her."
A few words on the cup of Charlie's drink that San Nicolas remembers her saying read:
If I don't turn sad things into funny things...then every time it gets brought up everyone would be sad.
It's a reminder to San Nicolas and everyone who walks into her coffee shop to be grateful and enjoy life for what it is.
"I think she would love seeing how this place helps people."
All proceeds from "The Charlie" go back to a GoFundMe in her name.