APPLETON (NBC 26) — A cafe with a unique spin on coffee is getting ready to take its next big leap of faith.
- Ro Ca Phe, a Vietnamese coffee shop in a camper, is preparing to open a permanent location in Appleton
- Owner Hieu Ngo, originally from Vietnam, started with a small trailer, inspired by his upbringing as a street food vendor
- After strong community support, Ngo plans to bring a retro-themed brick-and-mortar cafe to life by December or January
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
This tiny camper, barely the size of a closet, is home to Ro Ca Phe, a Vietnamese coffee shop.
“I start [with] something small. You know, I- hopefully people like it. That's all I got. All of my ability all I could afford for the trailer,” says Hieu Ngo, the owner of Ro Ca Phe.
Hieu started the business with help from his wife, Cac, and his brother, Thuan. But for him, the dream started long ago. “Back to the days in Vietnam, I helped my mom in the street, you know, we were street food vendors.”
Born and raised in Vietnam, Hieu moved to the United States in 2016 after his father, who worked for the U.S. Consulate, got a job in America.
After joining the Marines Reserve and settling in Appleton, Hieu realized he wanted to bring a little piece of home to the Fox Cities.
“When I moved here, I didn’t see anything like that around here. And I miss my food! So I wanted to bring something unique to the Fox Valley,” he explains.
So, he bought the camper and retrofitted it to function as a coffee shop. He says he's overwhelmed by both the emotions and the community response. “People motivate me a lot. I’ve got people who buy my stuff and say, ‘Oh, I wish you would have a brick and mortar.’ That’s motivated me a lot. Just one person says it, and it just pushes me up, you know.”
Now, after years of hard work, they’re finally ditching the camper. “I met a very nice landlord…He’s allowing me to rent this space,” he shares, gesturing to a spot on the other side of the parking lot.
Hieu says the brick-and-mortar location will open in December, if not early January, and he’s excited for people to see the ‘50s and ‘60s-themed restaurant waiting for them inside.
