We caught up with Kara to talk about The Rustic Bean Coffee Shop, which celebrates its one-month anniversary on April 1, to hear about how her coffee shop isn’t just a business, it’s the dream she never realized she was chasing.

“My shop is a taste of home,” she told us. “There’s a pretty long story behind how I landed here, but really, I’ve loved coffee for as long as I can remember. I never said to myself, ‘I’ll own a coffee shop one day.’ But I always wanted to make my local community better. That’s always been my thing. I have a passion for, well, everything.”

Kara moved from New York to Englewood for her daughter. “My youngest has this serious blood disease. It took years for the doctors to figure out what was wrong, and eventually she was diagnosed with bone marrow failure. She also has this incredibly rare genetic condition, so she’s literally allergic to the cold. Winters in New York just weren’t an option anymore.”

Kara credits her parents for discovering Englewood first and giving her and her daughter a place to land with family nearby.

“She’s doing okay, but this is lifelong for her. She’s the reason we moved. I’ve always been a Dunkin’ girl, so I’d drive out there, but something was missing. And what do you know, that’s when I met Jeffery, the man of my dreams. He’s a local business owner, too.”

One night, Kara and Jeffery were just sitting on the porch, playing Yahtzee, “like an old married couple,” Kara laughs. That’s when Kara came up with an idea. “I said to Jeffery, ‘I think I want to open a coffee shop.’ I figured he’d tell me I was nuts, but instead he said, ‘Why not do it now?’ So, that night, we launched the LLC.”

When you ask, Kara lights up when talking about her husband. “My kids aren’t biologically his, but he adopted them without blinking. It’s straight out of a Lifetime movie. He’s my happy ending that I never saw coming.”

Family means everything to Kara. She designed The Rustic Bean to feel like the mountains she grew up in, from camping, hiking, trips to water parks, Adirondack chairs, woodsy vibes, you feel that Northern spirit even in Florida. “I wanted to bring the Adirondacks here, since my daughter can’t go back.”

And about The Rustic Bean; it’s celebrating its one-month anniversary on April 1, 2026, and it’s been in the works since January last year. Kara’s genuinely grateful for the Englewood community. “This is a dream come true. I’m humbled, honestly. Without our customers, none of this would be real. They’re the reason we exist.”

On the menu, you’ll find coffee (hot or iced), pastries, muffins, bagels, breakfast sandwiches, and a whole bunch of “Around the Mountain” refreshers. She’s got teas, chai, and all the coffee shop staples, but with fun mountain twists: Lakehouse Lattes, Adirondack Americanos, Bear Claw Brew, Mountain View Macchiatos, Early Trail Espresso. Every name’s got a story.

Kara says what really makes the shop special is the feeling; people from all over drop in, from Ireland to Washington State, and everyone finds something familiar. “People come in and say, ‘Wow, I’ve been there,’ or swap stories. It turns into this ongoing conversation.”

Drop by Rustic Bean Coffee Shop, say hello to Kara, and welcome her to Englewood. Their motto just about sums it up: The Rustic Bean is your mountain retreat; where adventure meets comfort, and every sip feels like home.

The Rustic Bean Coffee Shop, located at 12717 Gulfstream Blvd., Port Charlotte 33981 941-828-1085 therusticbean2025@gmail.com

Open Monday-Friday 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

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