Media Feature

Ayala Coffee Exclusive Interview

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Ayala Coffee, New Jersey’s first Filipino coffee shop, is a shining example of entrepreneurship rooted in cultural pride and community. Founded by first-generation Filipino-Americans Trixie Jose and Matthew Reyes, Ayala has grown from a pop-up cart to a thriving brick-and-mortar café in downtown Jersey City. With design and buildout support from La Union Studio, the space was thoughtfully crafted to reflect the warmth, heritage, and vibrancy of the Filipino community. As featured in Kollective Hustle, the café not only serves up Filipino-inspired drinks and dishes—led by Executive Chef Alex Ruperto and Chef de Cuisine Kay Manahan—but also serves as a cultural hub, redefining what it means to blend tradition with modern entrepreneurship.

What clients are saying about us

I recommend La Union Studio all the time. They are easy to work with, it felt like a collaboration the entire time, they listen to your wants and desires and really do a great job of incorporating them as well as their own styles to make it incredible.

Mi Kim, Owner, Raised Doughnuts & Cakes

What clients are saying about us

Trusting the process with this team is simple, because they understand the reality of running a business. We trust they will accommodate your needs & the end result will be special.

Maxwell Heigh, Founder, Heigh Connects Food Group

What clients are saying about us

Sergio and Sonia are a perfect balance of accessible and professional, of community-based and institutionally-connected. They can help bridge the often totally disparate worlds of small business and commercial development. Their design solutions to complicated problems are intuitive and straightforward.

Matthew Richter, Interim Executive Director, Cultural Space Agency

What clients are saying about us

La Union Studio has helped us connect with people from the community that we were not in connection with before this project, which allowed more people to know Chebogz's story and legacy. They also have your back when issues rise and they do it in a way that doesn't scare the clients. They care!

Patrixia Paraiso, Owner, CheBogz Filipino Food

What clients are saying about us

With Sergio and Sonia, you get two people who are insanely intelligent, incredibly creative, but also really patient. I really appreciate their ability to stick to a timeline, to meet deadlines, to continue to push and to reach a vision.

Gavin Sullivan, Owner, Madrona Bureau