A franchisee for Michigan-based Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co. intends to open its first Jacksonville cafe shop in Wild Plum Plaza along Southside Boulevard.
“We are opening because we want to share something meaningful with Jacksonville, the rich tradition of Yemeni coffee and hospitality,” said Saeed Sufyan in an email Sept. 5.
The city issued a permit Sept. 3 for Prism Design & Construction Inc. of Jacksonville to build-out tenant space for Qamaria Coffee at 3980 Southside Blvd. in 2,453 square feet of space at a project cost of $105,000.
Java Tree LLC of Jacksonville registered Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co. with the state Feb. 18 to do business at 3980 Southside Blvd., Suite 207-208.
Landlord Ash Properties’ brochure for Wild Plum Plaza shows spaces 207 and 208 as one unit. The shopping center is west of Southside Boulevard, south of Beach Boulevard and north of Hogan Road, near the Tinseltown area.
AEC Integrated LLC of Jacksonville was the private plan review provider.
Saeed Sufyan is a Jacksonville resident originally from Michigan, where Qamaria started. Two uncles are business partners – Ameen Sufyan, who is based in Michigan, and Nabil Sufyan, who will manage the day-to-day operations in Jacksonville.
The three are listed as managers for Java Tree LLC on the state corporate registration.
“Yemen is considered the birthplace of coffee, the first place it was cultivated and introduced to the world. We source our beans directly from coffee farms in Yemen, making our coffee truly unique and unlike anything else in the area,” Saeed Sufyan said.
Along with the signature coffee, the shop will serve teas, refreshers, smoothies, desserts, baked goods and traditional pastries.
Sufyan said they plan to open by December 2025.
“This will be a family-owned franchise welcoming space designed for the community, where everyone can gather, relax, and enjoy authentic flavors and hospitality,” Sufyan said.
“While our focus right now is on making this first location special, we are already looking at future expansion possibly into Orange Park, Saint Johns, Mandarin, Beaches and other parts of Jacksonville.”
People can follow the progress on Instagram at @qamariajax.
“At its heart, Qamaria is more than just a coffee shop, it is about culture, community, and creating a space that feels like home,” Sufyan said.
About Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co.
FranchiseTimes.com, a franchise trade site, reported Nov. 7, 2024, that Hatem Al-Eidaroos and Munif Maweri co-founded Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co., starting as a wholesaler before shifting into the coffee shop market in 2021.
At the time of the report, Qamaria had 25 coffee shops nationwide and 18 slated to open within the subsequent six months.
FranchiseTimes.com said the company also expanded to Canada, with one location open and three in construction.
All units are franchised with the exception of Qamaria’s home location in Michigan.
FranchiseTimes.com says the coffee shop welcomes customers to experience its authentic Arabic furniture and room options, like lounging areas and study rooms.
Social media also plays a part in promoting the brand, highlighting menu options as well as the Yemen-based sourcing, harvesting and brewing-from-scratch methods used in creating the coffee.
“We know from surrounding areas that people will come out,” Al-Eidaroos said. “It becomes almost like a restaurant experience. People are coming to enjoy the experience … and then they’re also coming to get their coffee.”
QamariaCoffee.com says two Yemeni entrepreneurs – Hatem and Munif – with a common upbringing and shared passion for Yemeni coffee set out to find a way to share it with the world.
“After eight years of tirelessly working through the near impossible mission of building a supply chain to source Yemeni coffee beans, the duo successfully achieved this dream.”
The site says reputable roasters and coffee shops across the United States receive their supply of the rare coffee from Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co.
The site says Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co. uses a made-to-order method of brewing.
“Each cup is prepared using a traditional Yemeni method to bring out flavors and notes that a coffee machine would never do. This results in a cup of coffee and an experience a customer has never had It before,” it says.
The site says “we engage with the customer about the bean’s origin, Yemen’s coffee history, and our roasting facility. Amazing customer service, and a few fun facts that make their order that much more special.”
Online research finds that the first cafe opened in 2021 in Dearborn, Michigan, and expanded through franchising to 16 locations in states including California, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas and Virginia.
Research finds the company plans locations in Jacksonville and in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co. Facebook page shows locations in Florida in Temple Terrace, and in Williamsville, New York.