Resonate Coffee's Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City branch has been getting buzz on social media because of its atypical decor. Resonate.Coffee Facebook pageMANILA — Coffee has been part of a daily routine for most people, with many relying on freshly made coffee to wake up one’s mind, body, and soul.

Hot or iced, the good ’ol 3-in-1 mix or legit ground beans, a cup of joe brings people together.

But why do some people take coffee more seriously than others? It all boils down to the experience it gives. The process, taste, personalization, benefits, and even social aspect are why coffee is well-loved among people.

So much so, Filipinos drink an average of 2.4 cups of coffee daily and the country is the second among the largest consumers of coffee in Asia.

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In recent years, there has been a spike in coffee shops in the Philippines, with owners putting twists on their menus and store decor to stand out in an oversaturated market.

One coffee shop in Quezon City garnered attention on social media as it steered away from the typical minimalist take in favor of more true-to-life setting: a hardware store.

Resonate Coffee has branches on Bayan-Bayanan Avenue in Marikina City and on Katipunan Avenue in QC.

In a phone interview with ABS-CBN News, co-owner Wilbert Morada said the Katipunan location is Resonate's second and quite a jump from its origin of a "cafe on wheels" at a Marikina parking lot.

“Habang nire-renovate ‘yung space sa Katipunan, tapos nakita namin ‘yung mga gamit nung construction workers, sabi namin 'bakit hindi namin gawing hardware ‘to',” he shared.

(While were renovating the space on Katipunan, we saw the construction workers' tools and equipment, and we said 'why don't we make this a hardware stoe?')

He said they added more details to complete the cafe and their architect for help to make the hardware theme more appealing to customers.

Morada said the them might only be appreciated by a few but they wanted to give more emphasis on the equipment they use for coffee-making.

“If alam talaga nung mga mahilig sa kape, so ‘yung mga equipment namin ‘yung parang nagsasalita na kahit iba ‘yung concept. At least kahit paano okay yung equipment to make good coffee.”

(For those who really love coffee, our equipment will speak for themselves even if the concept is a little different. At least we have proper equipment to make good coffee)

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FROM ONLINE SELLING TO TWO BRANCHES IN METRO MANILA

Morada said Resonate entered the coffee business by selling cold brew online in 2020 when he was still residing in San Mateo, Rizal.

In 2021, they moved to Marikina and opened their first physical store the following year.

The cafe was first a “cafe on wheels” — a concept where cafe owners use a bicycle, car, truck, or any wheeled vehicle as their stall for their coffee business.

They set up shop in a parking space in Marikina, selling only drinks. They were able to expand and get a commercial space near that parking lot the next year.

In 2024, they opened their second physical store on Katipunan in Quezon City.

Apart from the unique store design, the Katipunan location offers beverages and food, such as pasta and sandwiches. The Marikina branch only serves drinks.

With the Katipunan branch just three months old, Morada said, Resonate is still finalizing its menu, with more items to be added in the future.

Asked whether the cafe also sells hardware supplies, Morada said these are only for the aesthetics of the cafe. 

However, they do sell some merchandise that they collaborated on with some of their friends.

They also plan to sell adaptors for students and different limited-edition coffee beans every month.

With a different take on cafe aesthetics, Resonate Coffee surely made its mark on going beyond the norm.

A unique perspective with equally distinct in-house products and activities will truly turn heads.