Page 12 - Chester County Chamber - 2024 Guide & Membership Directory

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
CAFÉ GOURMINO:
Good Coffee, Good Works
For a company founded in 2023, Cafe
Gourmino has already made quite an
impression. The mobile coffee bar, which
serves a wide variety of typical coffee-shop
beverages at events ranging from ribbon
cuttings to weddings and graduation
parties, made its debut at that year's
Kennett Square Mushroom Festival. Since
then, Cafe Gourmino has served in the
coveted role of the exclusive espresso
vendor at the Devon Horse Show and been
named “Best Mobile Coffee Cart” by Main
Line Today magazine.
Founder Michael Soland, who grew up in
Switzerland, looks back on a long career
in banking and corporate finance, but
coffee has always been his passion. Before
founding Cafe Gourmino, Soland spent
months researching the coffee supply chain
and market. He determined that there was
an opportunity for a mobile coffee business
in the local marketplace.
“My business is about creating an artisan
coffee-shop experience at the customer’s
venue,” Soland said. “Our beverages are
served by professional, trained and certified
staff, and we aim to create a peaceful and
joyful experience coupled with premium
products and extraordinary service.”
Another major pillar of Soland’s business
is giving back to the community. He
contracts with an award-winning family-
owned local roaster for his coffee. “They
pay above fair market price, which makes
the cost structure more expensive, but I
want to make sure the entire supply chain
is taken care of,” said Soland. To give back
to the community, Soland also brings his
coffee cart to nonprofit fundraisers, such as
for Safe Harbor of Chester County, Family
Service of Chester County, and Home of
the Sparrow.
Soland has big plans
for the expansion of
the business, including
hosting classes on coffee
production and brewing.
A one-of-a-kind
retro coffee truck
is set to debut
as well.
Learn more at
cafegourmino.
com.
ABEL BROTHERS TOWING
AND AUTOMOTIVE INC:
A Community Staple
Abel Brothers Towing and Automotive Inc.
has been a Chester County institution since
its founding by Cecil Abel in 1966. Today,
the business is owned by John and Deborah
Abel, who are working closely with their
youngest son and third-generation successor,
Aaron Abel. "He is almost running the show
completely now," Deborah Abel said.
Abel left her corporate job as a Purchasing
and Facilities Manager to help her
husband and mother-in-law with the
family business when her father-in-law
fell ill and eventually passed away. "For
a long time, I didn’t want to tell people
what I do for a living," she admitted. "This
kind of blue-collar work doesn’t get the
same respect as being a lawyer or a doctor
for example, you know?" Over the years,
however, she came to realize that "the true
measure of success is not in a job title or
how much money you make; it's about
being the best at whatever you do and
contributing to the community — helping
people along the way."
Abel Brothers Towing has grown from
four trucks to its current fleet of 35. The
company has also purchased two new
locations to accommodate its expansion.
The company's growth is attributed to a
strong commitment to customer service,
Abel explained. "We’re available to our
customers 24 hours a day, seven days a
week, and we don’t use an answering
service. When you call, you will either speak
to one of us or an Abel Brothers dispatcher."
While Abel Brothers Towing's work extends
beyond Chester County, "Chester County is
the heart of our business," she emphasized.
"We provide towing and roadside
assistance for 16 police departments and
municipalities."
The company also gives back to the
community through its relationships with
local fire departments and nonprofits. "We
provide many fire departments in Chester
County with training vehicles to practice
extracting people and saving lives," Abel
said. "We have so many friends in Chester
County, and we feel blessed to have built
our business here."
Learn more at abeltowing.com.
10 Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry