Today we’d like to introduce you to Edit Keshishyan

Hi Edit, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
How I opened a cafe almost 10 years ago is a funny story . I always thought it would be fun to have one but never took the idea seriously because “doesn’t everyone want to have their own cafe?”
I am a fashion designer by trade and love to design and create. I worked in fashion for many years and even had my own fashion line. I was a pretty successful up and coming designer with my line in many boutiques. It was a thrill and a great experience. I loved the hustle and the fast pace when I was younger and had no kids. I stopped designing when I got married to my husband, who is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner. I wanted to help him with his gym and focus on our family. Fashion was too demanding to allow me to run a family the way I wanted to. We had 3 beautiful kids soon after and I continued to support my husband and raise our kids.. One day in 2013 we were talking about how much we were craving açaí bowls and how there was nowhere to get one nearby. We both loved açaí bowls and would get them every time we would go to Brazil. I had started getting into healthy living and food in my early 20’s when my mom got some books about superfoods. I was intrigued and wanted to live that lifestyle.. So when the conversation lead to us starting a cart to sell açaí bowls out of, I was ready. Our kids were 7 & 8 by this time and I had the time and energy to put into it. We always laugh about how I ran the cart like a real serious business. It was fun and exciting. We had the cart on Victory Blvd., right next to our current space. Most people didn’t know what it was but we had loud Brazilian music playing and a large banner with an açaí bowl photo on it and bamboo covering the cart. People driving by were intrigued. We started getting people coming from all across town. Someone even started a Yelp page for us. It was really sweet. After about a year and half of the açaí cart, our current space became available. I had no experience in the food industry but my very talented chef cousin did and she agreed to open the cafe with me. It was scary and exciting and a dream turning into reality. We had similar taste in food so it was fun putting together our menu. We wanted simple but tasty items with very high quality ingredients. Interesting flavors and creative combinations. I wanted to bring in my style and aesthetic from years of design and travel around the world. It was also important for the space to feel calm and relaxing with lots of plants and world music. I want people to come to the cafe and never feel like leaving. I want them to be excited about eating the food and feel the love in our service. July 2025 will mark 10 years of the cafe serving delicious food and of course açaí jungle bowls. It has been an incredible journey from the privilege of meeting so many incredible people who are our customers to learning and growing as a leader and mentor to my team. Hospitality is who I am in my soul and every day I am grateful for our community and the support we have received.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like in any business, running a cafe has been full of challenges from our floor drains backing up in the middle of lunch hour after only a couple of weeks being open to our electricity going out a few times again in the middle of lunch rush of course. There was Covid and the challenges that came with running a business during such a crazy time with so much to maneuver. Helping the team stay healthy and in good spirits. Making the customers forget the crazy world outside as soon as they walked into the cafe. The challenges will always be there, you just have to love coming up with solutions.

As you know, we’re big fans of Açaí Jungle Cafe . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We specialize in açaí bowls but we are also known for our very tasty sandwiches, salads, smoothies and shakes. We use very high quality, mainly organic ingredients, We have a very talented chef in the kitchen and I think people really appreciate that.

We are different from other açaí bowl places in that we not only serve very high quality bowls but we also serve great food and in a beautiful space that includes an outdoor patio surrounded by lush plants. We have such a big range of customers from little kids to teenagers to business professionals. We are very proud of this. Being accessible to everyone. Eating healthy should be easy but also fun.

What were you like growing up?
I grew up in a very small town in Armenia and i was very adventurous. I had very little fear and I liked sports. I always liked to challenge myself and I was very competitive. I was a happy kid and didn’t let small things bother me. I was extroverted and loved to play with the kids in the neighborhood and loved spending time with family and cousins .

full article:

https://voyagela.com/interview/inspiring-conversations-with-edit-keshishyan-of-acai-jungle-cafe