Mercury Espresso Bar

Luisa Duran loves coffee. “I used to ride my bike all the way from Avenue and Davenport to Leslieville just to have a good cup of coffee,” she says.

A freelance make-up artist by day, energetic and entrepreneurial, Luisa was looking for a new business opportunity to balance out the inconsistency of her trade. As a devoted long-time customer of Mercury Espresso, Luisa felt that this east-end café, established in 2006 with a devoted clientele, seemed like a great prospect.

Previously employed with Toronto caffeine giant Jet Fuel, Luisa was not new to the local coffee culture and was able to take Mercury in hand and guide it using smart business sense. She also worked with experienced coffee experts, including store manager Liana Querci and assistant manager Val Sankar. "I attribute the shop's success to its unique and eclectic team of staff led by Liana and  Val," says Luisa. "Val trains the staff so that they are familiar with the standard of espressos we feature at the bar."

Since she took the reins in 2014, Lusia has been slowly brightening and polishing this local gem, adding personal touches to the long-standing coffee shop and nurturing it with her love of coffee.