Late wife’s love for coffee inspires man to open Koffee & Co.

Ali Charara has enjoyed a good cup of coffee for as long as he can remember.

But the Canton resident never truly savored coffee until he met his wife Joanna over 20 years ago.

“Before I met my wife, I would stop by Dunkin’ Donuts or Tim Horton’s most mornings and get a good cup of coffee,” Charara reflected. “I would drink it and go on with my day.

“My wife explained to me that to really appreciate coffee, I needed to drink a higher-quality brand than what I was drinking, and have a conversation while I drank my coffee. She loved to go to Somerset Mall, shop and the two of us would purchase coffee and sit and talk.”

Life changes

Charara was the co-owner (with his brother) of Plymouth Township’s La Fresh Mediterranean Grill until 2019 when Joanna Charara passed away following a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer.

Joanna excelled in the education industry and thrived at her job of helping to place abused children in foster homes, Charara said.

“Once COVID hit a short time after my wife passed away, my daughter, Mariam, was a student at Canton High School and they were forced to switch to remote learning from home,” Charara explained. “I didn’t want her to be alone, so I decided to step away from the restaurant business.”

Following a few years of being removed from the restaurant industry — and Miriam having started her pursuit of a degree at Wayne State University — Charara was inspired to open a coffee shop as a form of a tribute to his late wife.

When a Biggby Coffee closed in the same shopping complex as La Fresh, Charara reached an agreement with the landlord to rent the property and rebrand it as Koffee & Co., which opened in the fall of 2023 to rave reviews.

“My children — Miriam and my son Hassan — redesigned the interior of the space to give it a cozy, welcoming atmosphere,” Charara said. “I designed the logo myself.

Fresh baked goods

“We sell Zingerman’s coffee, which is more of an upscale brand, and fresh pastries, most of which I bake here every morning.”

The interior of Koffee & Co., located at 44601 Five Mile Road in Plymouth Township, is warm and welcoming, with comfortable seating and a homey space with a fireplace where friends can enjoy a splendid cup of coffee, muffins and croissants.

The amazing menu is populated by a several signature drinks, including a raspberry dark chocolate latte, the recipe of which was created by Miriam Charara.

Koffee & Co. offers a variety of hot and cold drinks, including espresso and smoothies.

“The feedback we have received so far has been amazing,” said Charara. “I am so grateful. My wife would have such a huge smile on her face if she walked in and saw this place.”

Perfect location

Charara said the location is ideal — not only because it is close to the busy intersection of Sheldon and Five Mile roads, but because it’s just 100 feet east of La Fresh, which is still thriving under his brother’s ownership.

“This spot is perfect because I know the neighborhood, I know the customers from when I owned La Fresh with my brother,” he said.

Koffee & Co.’s hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week.

Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.