Exotic flavors, calming atmosphere beckon shoppers to take a break.
Moussetache Café has 41 locations in the Philippines, but Gill is the first franchise owner in the U.S. or Canada, and any new franchise owners in the North American continent will work through her.
Moussetache Café has a serene setting with easy listening music and a scenic video screen to make customers feel at home, setting the tone for them to socialize. The café is set up so nobody’s back is to another person.
“Strangers become friends here,” she said. “That happened yesterday where people came in and just started talking to each other and they were here for two hours. It’s just a good place to destress.”
The café is small, with one table, one couch, several chairs, books and a wish tree.
“I think of it as a retreat where people can relax and unwind, like they enter into another dimension,” she said.
As the word has spread, Moussetache Café has been busy with foot traffic. Customers say they like the setting, which Gill says looks like her home. A Celtic harp sits in the café. Gill encourages visitors to strum it.
Gill, whose background is in medical aesthetics, said she was looking for a business that was different and jumped at the chance when she learned the franchise was available here.
She says the bubble tea is authentic, meaning that it is not made from a machine or packet. “It’s made from scratch. It takes time. It’s not instant. Food and drink should not be instant. It should be enjoyed.”
She also uses organic milk. Customers choose from individualized teacups.
Moussetache Café is in a hallway across from the food court, which Gill considers perfect because it’s by itself and quiet. Plus, she liked the way it was already set up with counters and cabinets.
Moussetache Café also has many ongoing events. Saturday is Harry Potter Day as the screen shows Harry Potter movies all day long and many of the customers dress up like Harry Potter. The menu includes non-alcoholic butterbeer, made famous by the series. Weekend events run from noon to 6 p.m.
Friday is Fairy Team Day. Kids and adults receive drawing books.
For one event, Moussetache Café partnered with Chico’s Clothing for a fashion show. Other events include storytelling, karaoke, Pirate Movie Day and Peter Rabbit Day.
In addition, the wish tree invites customers to write a wish and hang it on the tree.
Gill says operating the café has been a learning experience and a lesson in patience, as it takes 27 days to receive food or drink supplies from the Philippines.
So far, Moussetache Café has four part-time employees. For more information, call 928-778-9786. QCBN
By Stan Bindell, QCBN
Photo by Stan Bindell: Moussetache Café offers a relaxing atmosphere in a quiet setting near the food court at the Prescott Mall.
