Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Degelau.
Hi Laura, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have always been a coffee lover, even though I grew up in a house that hot tea was the beverage of choice. I loved the rich smell of the beans when my grandma would open the tin can and the aroma that filled the whole house when it brewed. I don’t think I truly drank coffee until I started my job at 16 when one of my responsibilities was to make the coffee for the customers in the waiting room. I wanted to be sure it tasted good before putting it out in the morning and I loved how everyone around the office gathered when a fresh pot was put out. Coffee always seemed to bring community and conversation.
When I moved to Hawaii, thousands of miles from my friends and family I was lucky to be close to the water and found that a good cup of coffee in the morning, fresh salty air, and the sound of the surf was my new community and it kicked off my new ritual of enjoying that first cup alone, it was my time to center and create my plan for the day. I could sip on warm coffee all day, even when it is warm outside, but do try to limit myself to 2-3 cups these days.
When Micael, my daughter and business partner, graduated from high school and had my granddaughter, Lucy, (the namesake for our business) she got a job at the coffee shop here in town as a barista. As an avid reader and coffee connoisseur herself, we talked about one day opening a cozy little shop with books and comfy seating where you could enjoy your favorite drink and get lost in a book at. She spent 2 years in that small local shop making coffee and friends before the Food and Beverage Director at a new downtown Nashville luxury hotel stopped in for a cup of coffee and told her she needed to come work for him at the 1hotel, which was in September of 2022.
Fast forward a few years and many “what if” and “wouldn’t it be perfect” conversations about the space we would love to open, and in June of 2025 we decided we needed to stop talking and start doing. We are an active family and love going to concerts, festivals, and other events. One thing we noted was missing was being able to get something other than a bottle or water, or a can of soda at most events. What if we could be at the places people are at who want options? A great latte at the ball diamond, a fresh-brewed iced tea on a hot day at a festival, alternatives to alcohol at a wedding or fun drinks at a company event. On a drive back from “Disney on Ice” with Lucy, we picked a name for the business and started the plan. In July, we bought a plain trailer and by the first week in August, we had it back from Louie’s Food Trucks, built out and ready for our first event. We met with local roasters and did samplings to find the perfect bean for our espresso, coffee, and cold brew. Since then, we have done a ton of school events, neighborhood stops, special events at area businesses, fundraisers, birthday parties, business launches, a wedding, and so much more. We have changed our recipes and menu, tried things that sounded good but didn’t quite work out, added a cart for indoor events and markets, bought a frozen treat tricycle for gelato and affogatos, and recently added canned drinks to the menu.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been fairly smooth. I am an optimist and work to find a way to make it work. Of course, there are struggles, like in November when the space heater shut off on a night it got down below 10 degrees and the pipe inside our 2-group espresso machine cracked and we had to buy a new 1-group machine to meet our commitment to an event 2 days later. Once the tech looked at the damage and made calls, we could not get the replacement part for a very long time from the manufacturer. We have had tables tip over in the trailer and we are constantly trying to improve the layout and workflow for having 2-3 people in a 7×14 space working to make a drink in under 60 seconds.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Lulu’s Sipery ?
Lulu’s Sipery is a Mobile Coffee and Soda Shop. We specialize in high quality espresso based drinks that come to you. We also serve specialty sodas, energy drinks and italian sodas. A dirty soda is taking your soda base, say a Dr. Pepper, adding flavored syrup like Raspberry and Vanilla, some lime and coconut cream… we call this one the Dr. Lu. We also serve Alani, Red Bull and Lotus energy drinks, an assortment of teas, and lemonade.
Our trailer is different because we have a huge 10ft wide by 5 ft tall window. We want it to be open and friendly, you can see inside and not separated from the experience because coffee is about community. Hear the beans grinding, smell the freshly brewed espresso fill the cup, see the frothed milk poured in. It gives different experience than a sliding window and a hand reaching out with your drink. The beans are freshly roasted in Hendersonville from our friends at Obsessive Coffee Disorder. We are 3 generations of local women who own and run the business and want to be part of the communities we serve.
We want to make the experience about the customer, the event, the vibe that we can bring to your event. We don’t want to be simply a vendor or a drink option, we want to help curate the experience and give your guest the quality of their favorite coffee shop wherever they are.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Fair pricing – all inclusive so there are no suprises
Fresh and locally sourced ingredients
Very involved with our community, we love to give back to our schools and non-profits
Dependable service
Female and family owned and operated
Customization for your event – stickers, signage, specialty drinks
We can accommodate events for 30-3000 people, or more!
Pricing:
- Fair pricing average $6-$8
Contact Info:
- Website: www,lulusipery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lulusipery
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579649909191
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lulusipery
