Lee Anna Maharaj
leeanna.maharaj@guardian.co.tt
We’ve all been stuck in traffic at some point; some of us more often than others. During peak hours, when you’re running low on sleep and the edible kind of fuel, time seems to crawl even slower. However, one Arouca man is hoping to change that—by perking up commuters’ mornings and making their daily crawl a little more brew-tiful.
It all started in a car, as most traffic tales do. Someone told Theon Morales they could do with a cup of coffee, and that idea brewed into something more.
“In traffic, I could get a hot cup of coffee ... so why not? So, I started to think about ways I could possibly serve coffee in traffic,” Morales told Guardian Media.
He remembered seeing a little boy selling coffee on the road during a recent trip to Caracas, Venezuela.
Grinding through research and planning, he finally found a German-based company that sold what he was looking for.
“So basically, it’s a compressed tank—the same material they use to keep heat in a Stanley cup—so it can keep drinks hot for two to three hours. It also holds up to 100 cups,” Morales explained. The tank sits in a special backpack that also has a faucet to pour the coffee into disposable coffee cups.
Two months after the big idea, the 38-year-old Morales stepped out of his car and onto the asphalt jungle at Trincity Central Road near Trincity Mall—ready to see what he could stir up with his business Brews on D Road.
“So, I make the coffee at home, put it in the tank, and then lock it in my backpack, come out, put my business’ flag on, and start selling,” he said.
He serves each cup with a smile and a mini kit containing sugar, creamer, stirrer, and lid—all included in the $20 fee. He says this makes it more sanitary and convenient for drivers who wouldn’t want to miss the traffic lights.
Those commuters aren’t just sipping—they’re inspired by Morales. Several drivers stopped by not only to purchase coffee but to commend Morales on his business and zeal.
“You see the support I’ve been getting? I love my country 100 per cent, and the people are very lovely. I didn’t know Trinidad could give so much love. Especially when they see young people—and young men—doing something innovative, you know ... you can’t help but feel encouraged by it yourself. I was in Fyzabad, and a child said, ‘Mommy, look, the coffee guy! I want to sell coffee too,’” Morales shared.
He was shocked, since it’s been only about two weeks since he started selling, but he already has bigger plans.
“I already started to organise other backpacks, because Carnival is coming up, so that would be good. I’d also like to start bringing people on board. I don’t want people to work for me—I want them to work with me, in partnership, especially the youth. I believe everybody could be entrepreneurs—young entrepreneurs,” Morales said.
He’s already planning to service more areas across T&T. Currently, Morales sells in Trincity from Monday to Friday, from 6 am to 8 am.