McKenna Jordan, known to Houston book lovers as the owner of Murder By the Book, had long wanted a coffee shop or cafe inside the beloved store on Bissonnet.
"But the logistics of this space basically forbade that, and we've always had House of Coffee Beans next door," Jordan tells CultureMap. "They've been wonderful neighbors forever."
Now, they are something more. Because Jordan, and her husband Curry Duffey, bought the 50-year-old coffee store and officially began operating the space earlier in May. Their first business partnership as a couple, they're blending Jordan's vast retail knowledge with Duffey's interest in the roasting process.
“I didn't know anything about coffee going into this,” Duffey says. “I've just been learning everything. It’s been fast and furious.”
House of Coffee Beans has long been known as a destination for its wide selection of curated and Houston-roasted coffees. Those who wanted a grab-and-go drink would find one daily hot and iced option. Things are a little different now.
Jordan said one of the first things she and Duffey did after taking ownership was to put in an espresso machine, allowing them to make multiple lattes and other espresso-based drinks, enhancing the existing take-away menu. They’ve kept a crowd pleaser, however, House of Coffee Beans’ iced coffee, made with sugar and two percent milk.
“It’s delicious,” Jordan says.
They made some changes on the retail side, too.
"The biggest change was we had maybe 15 to 20 decaf flavored coffees, which we now have three," said Jordan, explaining how the team did a deep dive into the store's inventory to see what was selling and where efficiencies could be maximized.
They also culled the non-flavored decaf selection from about 15 down to five, and streamlined the coffee selection from dozens to around 15. That quality-versus-quantity approach isn't to knock what was in the store; it's an example of how, as the team learns more about the business, they've discovered what consumers are actually looking for.
For years, Jordan says, she'd watch customers rush into House of Coffee Beans to stock up on Kona and Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.
"I was under the misconception that those were only seasonally available," she says. "However, it's available all the time. So one of the first things we did was, at the request of many customers, was bring in Kona and Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee to just be part of our regular menu."
Ensuring that customers get the freshest coffee available is important to both Jordan and Duffey. All of the beans are roasted at a facility near the Astrodome by roaster Kevin Chapa, who’s been instrumental in sharing his knowledge.
That’s resulted in two custom roasts, created under the Grounds for Murder label, a nod to Murder by the Book. The medium roast is called Brew Done It, while the dark roast is Murder on the Orient Espresso. The selections are for sale in the bookstore and in the coffee shop. And for book lovers who want a little caffeine pick-me-up before a Murder by the Book event, House of Coffee Beans stays open later on those nights, allowing attendees to grab a cup before coming to an author signing.
As Jordan and Duffey look forward to what’s next, they’re hoping to expand operations and continue creating custom roasts. They’re also exploring how to work with local restaurants to offer their coffees beyond the shop. But the thing they both want is for the 50-year-old institution to continue thriving as a vital part of the Rice Village area.
“We want to be accessible to everyone,” Jordan says. “We love talking about flavor profiles and we also have a lot of regular customers. But we also new people to come in and find what their favorite coffee is.”
Courtesy of House of Coffee Beans
Mckenna Jordan and Curry Duffey are the new owners of House of Coffee Beans in Rice Village
