Two Ypsilanti favorites, the Tower Inn and Ugly Mug Cafe, have formed a new partnership to bring coffee beans roasted at the Ugly Mug to customers at Tower Inn.
The move has been very popular with patrons of the restaurant.
“We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from our customers,” said Rois Savvides, owner of Tower Inn.
Savvides and his wife Nathalie bought Tower Inn in 1997 and have been working together ever since, creating a family atmosphere that brings in customers from Ypsilanti and the surrounding communities.
The restaurant is famous for their pizza, Greek cuisine and pastas, all at prices that fit the budgets of even the poorest college student.
EMU student Brian Hinz described the Tower Inn saying, “That place is cool.”
The restaurant, equipped with a karaoke machine and one that hosts a trivia drawing, is a gathering place for locals looking for a fun place to go with friends and family.
The Ugly Mug Cafe, run by general manager Eric Mullins, is much more than the typical coffee shop.
Serving fresh roasted coffee, teas, baked goods and sandwiches, the café is also a hangout for students and locals alike.
With the walls covered in art and bookshelves lining the walls, there’s always something new to discover. Mullins is a constant fixture at the café, a self–proclaimed workaholic.
“I love my job,” he said. “I love that I know just about every person who comes in here.”
The partnership is part of a plan of growth for Ugly Mug, according to Mullins.
“We’ve spent the past year and a half growing our business,” he said. The changes have included stocking new varieties of “direct-trade” coffees from Guatemala and a new coffee roaster, eight times larger than the previous one. The new roaster enables Ugly Mug to roast a large amount of coffee beans on the premises, enough to sell to local companies such as Tower Inn.
The partnership is also part of Tower Inn’s plan to work more closely with local businesses. The restaurant buys local produce, especially in spring and summer, has menus printed by an Ypsilanti company and is working on an agreement with a local farm for their ground beef.
“We need to work more with local businesses,” said Savvides. “We should try to help each other.”
For Mullins, the partnership is more than a business deal. For him, it’s an opportunity to work more closely with Savvides.
“The dude is an inspiration. You want to turn a business in Ypsilanti into something great, he’s the person to talk to. He’s a really great guy to work with,” said Mullins.
For both Mullins and Savvides, the partnership between Tower Inn and Ugly Mug is a natural fit.
“The service there is great and the food is awesome,” Mullins said. “They want to make sure they’re putting up a great product. I [can] identify with their high standards. We’re not going to go out and sell to just anyone.”
Savvides is also a fan of Ugly Mug.
“I love good coffee and I’ve been a fan of Ugly Mug for years,” he said.
Both businesses also share a commitment to supporting local businesses.
“We’re a local small business. Everyone that works for us lives locally, we function locally,” said Mullins. “Businesses should work together,” said Savvides.
Stocking Ugly Mug coffee does have one big tradeoff, but it’s worth it, according to Savvides.
“It costs more to buy locally roasted coffee, but it’s worth it,” he said.
Mullins agreed saying, “When local businesses help each other, everyone does better.”
For both Rois Savvides and Eric Mullins, a love of the local community is at the heart of their partnership.
“It’s a lot of community responsibility and trying to build relationships with the community. It’s not just about making money. It’s about doing the right thing.”
