We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Jacobson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk taking has played a large part in our lives and careers. Both Tyler and I grew up with parents who were entrepreneurs. My parents own their own construction company. My dad builds custom homes, spec homes and commercial buildings. Tyler’s dad runs his own insurance business. I learned from my parents that you must take risks in order to get where you really want to be in life. In our own lives, Tyler and I have had to take risks in order to get to where we wanted to be – or at least on the path to where we want to be. Before starting our coffee shop, I worked full time in the corporate world. I knew that wasn’t where I wanted to stay which resulted in me being very unhappy at both companies I worked at. Tyler and I decided it was best that I quit my job so we could pursue opening our own coffee shop. It was a huge risk considering I was the primary income for our family. We didn’t know what the future would hold but we knew it was the only way that we would get to do what we wanted to do. Little did we know, it would be over two years until we actually got to open our dream business.

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?
We are a drive-thru coffee shop in Buckeye. We also have a patio with seating and a walk up window. We are locally owned (I am an AZ Native!) and we do business with other local companies. Our espresso, dairy products and food products are all from local companies. We pride ourselves in our quick and friendly service and quality products. Our goal is to create great relationships with our community while serving them delicious drinks! We want to make people happy!

We got to where we are today with a lot of determination and hard work. I have dreamed of owning my own coffee shop since I was in high school. My family talked about it for years and it has finally become a reality. The actual execution of this coffee shop has been a long time coming. It took us about 2 years to physically build the building and get it open. It has not been easy and was a lot of waiting on other people, but we were patient and persistent and here we are, finally open. I want the world to know that we truly believe good things come to those who work hard and never give up!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had a friend from out of town visiting, I would take them to a few places: First thing, we would go to Jackrabbit Java to get us some GOOD coffee and meet some friendly faces! While they were here I would also want to take them to eat at Saddle Mountain Brewery for dinner one evening. A fun day trip would be to take them up to Sedona to see (or play in, depending on the time of year) Slide Rock and Oak Creek Canyon. I would take them shopping at fun stores like Screws and Sparkles, Grungy Gals or The Grande Project Shoppe. I love to support local! I would take them into Verrado and the surrounding areas to see all the neat places near us and maybe take them up the Verrado stairs or for a hike in the White Tanks, if they were up for it! If it were the appropriate time of year, we would probably go to one of the local farmers markets on the weekend and spend as much time as possible outside. Tyler would probably take them golfing at one of our many beautiful golf courses if they were golfers! There is so much to see and do here we could easily fill a week!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
So many people have played a huge part in our ability to open our business and the success we’ve had so far. For sure I would like to recognize the support we have received from both our parents. They have never once doubted us and have supported us in many more ways than we could have ever asked. Additionally, our business partners have been incredibly helpful and deserve a huge amount of credit in getting us to where we are currently at. Of course I have to recognize all of our baristas, because, let’s be honest, without them we wouldn’t exist. They’re amazing. Finally, I would like to recognize our friends and family who have cheered us on and helped us out. We are so very thankful for such huge a support system!

Website: www.jackrabbitjavaco.com

Instagram: @jackrabbitjavaco

Facebook: Jackrabbit Java

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.