The word “niyyah” means intention in Arabic, and Fishers’ newest coffee shop — Niyyah Coffee — embodies intentionality in every aspect of the business.
Shop owners Shamyl and Torrie Tufail are hopeful that the community will enjoy the high-quality coffee and purpose-filled atmosphere of Niyyah Coffee as much as they do.
“Every cup that we have is made with intention, with niyyah,” Shamyl said. “We measure every drink out on a scale, so every time you come in, you’re going to get a high-quality beverage.”
The couple’s love and passion for coffee began several years ago.
“I discovered coffee in my college years,” Shamyl said. “And all I was drinking was Keurig “K” cups and Starbucks here and there, so I thought that was like the epitome of coffee.”
Then, Shamyl met his wife, Torrie, who loved to try out local coffee shops and lived in Nashville at the time. As the two explored various local coffee shops, Shamyl’s perspective on coffee began to shift.
This eventually led them to purchase an espresso machine. Through watching many YouTube videos and becoming avid coffee-making learners, Shamyl and Torrie fell in love with the process of experimenting with coffee creations.
“We’d have friends over all the time and they would tell us continuously ‘Hey, your coffee is like better than any coffee like I’ve ever had,’” Shamyl said.
A few years ago, the idea of starting a coffee shop started to swirl in their heads, then the couple ultimately decided that they wanted to turn their passion into a business.
With Shamyl owning a real estate business and Torrie’s background in art and design, they were able to naturally mesh their minds and skillsets to plan and create the coffee shop concept of their dreams.
Intentionality has been at the heart of every aspect of Niyyah Coffee — from the type of coffee bean to the seating options to the shop’s atmosphere and design.
Something the couple has noticed is that many coffee shops put a lot of sugar in their drinks, and they wanted to come up with a solution to this.
“Our bean is a lot smoother; it’s a medium roast bean…so not a lot of sugar needs to be added to enjoy that cup of coffee.” Shamyl said.
Shamyl and Torrie are also intentional about the shop’s atmosphere.
“We don’t have music in here, and I think it’s kind of just a space to come in and unplug or you can focus or you can just talk and hear each other,” Torrie said.
Additionally, they both believed it was important that each type of seating in the shop had a unique purpose. For example, there is a bar area which is designed for study or work. The shop also has a “cozy corner” with couches perfect for friends who want to hang out and chat.
“We want this to be a welcoming space for everybody to feel comfortable and come out and be a community,” Torrie said.
Shamyl stressed the importance of shopping at small businesses like Niyyah Coffee.
“You’re supporting your own community,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing because money can always go to the big businesses, but when you’re going to local businesses, that money is going to come back to your own area.”
In celebration of the holiday season, Niyyah Coffee recently announced their seasonal holiday drinks. A frosty matcha, peppermint bark latte, and minty masala chai are among the lineup.
Visit in the Hub & Spoke building and follow them on Instagram @niyyahcoffee for updates and more information.
