By Jan SN Furukawa
Peter and Hiroko Walls have been on-the-go building their dream business from scratch over the past seven years. Slingstone Coffee & Tea was conceived after Hiroko Walls learned all she could while working at a popular American chain coffee house in Tokyo for six months.
Slingstone opened its newest outlet in Hagatna this month. The Walls were on-hand to welcome customers to their fourth and largest outlet, which features an open-air raised and shaded deck, an enclosed workroom and ample parking space, along with Slingstone’s original drive-thru service windows.
Hiroko Walls asked simply, “Do you know coffee?” She explained how the company finds its coffee beans, gets samples from around the world to taste-test, then orders a select variety from approved sources at different times of the year and in dissimilar quantities in anticipation of, and response to, customer demand.
She noted the size of Slingstone’s coffee nut grinder in their new facility, which she said is the largest on island. She talked about the company’s plan to eventually package the beans and ground coffee for sale at various grocery stores. For now, coffee beans are available at each of its outlets.
“They are the freshest (coffee beans) available here and one other coffee house only, in Guam,” Hiroko Walls said. The others serve “chain coffee, and it’s not the same. We provide quality assurance with our brand."
Coffee, tea, frappes, smoothies, juices, energy-boosting drinks of all sorts are sold at Slingstone’s unique coffee houses, or “stations.” A complete menu includes mini-meal offerings like muffins and bagels, and ham ‘n cheese or chicken kelaguen wraps.
The pair of entrepreneurs conceptualized and incorporated its venture in 2017 and opened its first drive-thru facility on Marine Drive in Anigua the following year.
The Slingstone brand earned popularity early-on from its start-up for its shipping container designed with a larger-than-life turtle logo and cut-out latte complete with night lights.
The Walls opened a second drive-thru station in a renovated warehouse in East Agana, then a third in upper Barrigada; and now, this fourth outlet right in the heart of Hagatna. It joins Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and the new Jollibee on the busy corner near the Agana Shopping Center.
Slingstone’s newest facility is typhoon-proof, Peter Walls said, adding that he and Hiroko plan to build additional stations in Chalan Pago, Mangilao and Tamuning.
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