Perhaps my favorite thing about Tucson is the sense of community throughout the city. I’ve lived in different areas of Tucson over the years and noticed that many of these communities blend into one — a collection of cultures all just trying to live their best lives.
Tucson is a welcoming place.
It’s easy to feel supported and to get out of your shell far enough to gather with strangers. Ren Coffeehouse is one of those inviting spaces that’s keeping our community bright.
“We’ve tried hard to cultivate an environment where it’s cool to care,” said Lydia Lane, General Manager of Ren Coffeehouse. “I feel like that’s been one of my driving forces — it’s cool to care about each other, about what you’re serving, and about what you go home feeling like after your shift. But also, it’s the cool people who work here — they are the best employees. I have worked in places where the ‘cool ones’ are the slackers, or the ‘cool ones’ are those who don’t care about what they’re putting out. Here at Ren, the people who don’t really care are the ones who don’t end up staying. It’s not the environment for them.”
“I’ve always kind of based it on three things in order for it to work: customer service, consistency, and quality,” Lisa Ocker added, owner of Ren Coffeehouse. “I want everyone to come to work, feel supported, and enjoy the work that needs to be done. It really gives me a lot of gratitude. Yeah, lots of gratitude — they’re amazing.”
When Ocker came up with the name “Ren Coffeehouse” in 2018, there was intention behind it. The word “ren” in Chinese culture is referred to as having compassion, having moral integrity, and treating others with respect and love — showing kindness, humanity, love, etc.
So, the mystery I had created in my own head was officially debunked. The cranky chihuahua in “Ren & Stimpy,” my favorite cartoon in the ’90s, is not the reason behind the naming of Ren Coffeehouse.
Instead, Ren reflects a sense of empathy and the desire to do good for others.
Each time I’ve walked into Ren Coffeehouse, I not only see a handful of familiar faces behind the counter but I also see them out on the patio or inside at one of the tables. There’s a neat familiarity with the guests who frequent the coffee shop.
I’ve never gone in early enough but I heard stories about a group of people who sit at the same table to catch up with one another — the Ren staff makes it a point to ensure their table is in tip-top shape before they arrive. It’s their unofficial corner of the coffee shop but it’s made to feel temporarily official for them.
Again, it’s all about showing some kindness.
“If you care about other people and what you’re doing, that’s a big part of what it takes to be good in this industry,” said Lane. “And, the more suppliers we can use, the more we can be known as that place to visit for quality and consistency.”
That care can be tasted in their pastries like the gigantic cinnamon rolls and sticky buns (made daily) or the Bagel Breakfast Sandwich — a Bubbe’s Bagel loaded with avocado, arugula, tomato, and eggs from Cruz Farm.
My favorite breakfast sandwich at Ren right now, I can confidently say, is the Sausage Deluxe — a croissant sandwich that comes with a sausage patty, spicy housemade jelly, herb cream cheese, an egg, and onions.
It was a difficult one for me to share this one with the rest of the table. “What’s that over there,” I’d ask everyone, pretending to see something in the distance so I could take another bite.
“That sandwich is getting closer and closer to you,” Lane laughed, referring to the Sausage Deluxe. “I feel that it started over here,” she said, pointing at the opposite side of the table, “And it’s slowly ended up in front of you.”
Then there is the Southwest Breakfast Sandwich, which was successfully shared around the table (it was cut into quarters so I couldn’t just grab the entire thing)(they’re catching on).
It comes served on focaccia that’s been lightly toasted and then scrambled eggs, Pepper Jack cheese, green chili salsa, avocado, and bacon (optional) are sandwiched in between.
“It’s totes yummers,” said Leirica Errazo, a Ren Coffeehouse veteran.
The pastries and breads are baked in-house, too.
Well, they’re actually baked in a different house, so to speak, across the St. Philip’s Plaza — their second location named Ren Bakery & Espresso Bar. Soon, that bakery will relocate to the vacant space just a few steps away from the Coffeehouse, making the corner of the Plaza their very own “little zen area.”
“We want all of that to be there every time people come in,” she added, pointing at shelves near one of the coffee shop’s entrances. The mini gift shop area features take-home packages from Desert Pearl Mushrooms and sweet lime marmalade from the Iskashitaa Refugee Network.
Other local producers Ren teams up with are Tirrito Farms, Yellow Brick Coffee, Presta Coffee, Pivot Produce, August Rhodes, Togetherness 4 Health, Better Than Provisions, Blue Ice Gelato, Alfonso Olive Oil, and Carlotta’s Kitchen.
Ren also partners with A Better Rillito (a local group that strives to keep the river clean), Undisputed Tucson Fitness Gym, and Yoga Pod, which is just across the patio.
The coffee shop always has something new to try, too, on their “specials” menu. The last time I popped my head in the shop a limited-run Pizza Pocket grabbed my attention (pizza sauce, mozzarella, and pesto on their housemade ciabatta).
There was also a Spicy Prickly Pear Agua Fresca on the menu and it tickled my throat and brought on an itchiness in my ears. It was great.
Now, in the words of the Bush’s Beans dude and golden retriever, it’s time to “roll that beautiful bean footage.” However, there are no beans in these photos.
Keep scrolling to check out some of Ren Coffeehouse’s other menu highlights.
Ren Coffeehouse is open daily from 6 a.m. – 3 p.m. (sometimes until 2 p.m., depending on the season).
“There are a number of people who come in every single day and we know their names,” said Lane. “A lot of coffee shops are like this, too, and I think that aspect is very important. We want it to be something more than just a place where they get their caffeine or their food. It’s all about the feeling they get when they’re here.”
Ren Coffeehouse is located at 4300 N. Campbell Ave. #24, at the St. Philip’s Plaza. For more information, visit rencoffeehouse.com and follow Ren Coffeehouse on Instagram.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
