Buunni Coffee, the Northern Manhattan small business founded 14 years ago by Elias Gurmu and Sarina Parabisi, has opened a full-service cafe and grab-and-go coffee spot on Columbia University Irving Medical Center's campus.
The couple opened their first Buunni Coffee location in a tiny storefront along Pinehurst Avenue. The business, named after the Amharic word for coffee itself, "buna," now has two locations in Washington Heights and Inwood, coffee bags for sale at Trader Joe's, and a roastery in the South Bronx.
Columbia Neighbors recently sat down with Elias and Sarina to discuss how they met, the origin story behind Buunni Coffee, what inspired them to open businesses in Upper Manhattan, and what made Columbia the right fit for one of their newest locations.
The community can experience Buunni Coffee at the grand opening of its Haven Plaza location on Oct. 6. The expansion comes fresh off National Coffee Day, which fell on Sept. 29.
The new cafe is part of a busy stretch for the CUIMC campus. On Sept. 17, Columbia University Irving Medical Center welcomed over 1,000 local children to Haven Plaza in Washington Heights for its third annual Curious Minds Science Zone, an afternoon of STEM exploration organized by several schools and departments across CUIMC, featuring more than 25 tables and booths where youngsters learned about topics from nutrition to neuroscience from faculty, PhD students, medical students, and staff.
Also this summer, CUIMC welcomed 54 young adults through New York City's Summer Youth Employment Program, providing opportunities to learn about careers in the realm of medicine.