Koco Java Spotlight

Downtown Salisbury has a variety of places to visit, and sometimes the newest ones get the most attention. However, one of our greatest attractions is a coffee shop on North Main called Koco Java. It has been a hot spot in Downtown Salisbury for almost eight years now and for many, visitors and regulars alike, it is unforgettable.

One of the brains of the operation is owner Arturo Therecka. He and his wife visited from Connecticut occasionally, and over time they fell in love with our little town of Salisbury. Coffee and the business surrounding it has always been their passion, and with a history of coffee shops and restaurants, they knew how to run a business. Their passion for coffee called them away from their restaurant in Connecticut, and rooted them here.

Koco Java has a slew of regulars and it is no surprise why. “Our duty is to provide good products, good prices, and good service,” Therecka said. “From the very beginning we listened to what our customers wanted and needed.” The coffee shop’s success displays their devotion to their customers, especially the Koco Java drive-thru. With about 60-70% of the company’s business done at the drive-thru window, it is vital that the shop make a good first impression.

The pace of customers is variable. Therecka notices a difference between weekday and weekend crowds.
Koco Java is effective enough to keep up with the weekday morning hustle while still being relaxed enough to feature a comfortable crowd inside on weekends. On the laid-back atmosphere, Therecka pointed out, “We don’t have any TVs. We keep the music on a variety to interest all crowds.”

Therecka’s previous experience involved aiding the startup process for local coffee shops. After years of helping to support places that were like Koco Java, he’s now got a place of his own. “A coffee shop is different than a restaurant. Customers don’t have to come in and sit down for an hour and spend $30 on a meal. Here, we have to make sure that we meet their needs quickly and efficiently.” Koco Java staff are well-versed in providing quality service to a great quantity of customers quickly.

It takes a lot of work and time to thrive downtown, but it also takes the most ambitious and dedicated merchants to stick through the hard parts. The Thereckas pressed through the thick of it all to become a constant staple of the life in Downtown Salisbury. Arturo Therecka is determined to keep Koco Java at its very best, stating that, “It takes years to build a business, but only weeks to fail.” Even the most buzzing places started from an idea, a dream, and anyone can build a stable success with the right mind for business.