Jeffry Scott / Arizona Daily Star Martha Raymond is co-owner of The Coffee Vein with Jim Huffstetler. Both knew what they wanted in a café, and borrowed what they described as their best memories from other coffee bars and cafés.

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Martha Raymond and Jim Huffstetler met at a coffee shop more than a decade ago and forged a friendship over their shared love of the brew.

Like their friendship, their interest in coffee evolved into something more, and on Dec. 17 they opened The Coffee Vein on North Stone Avenue.

Sitting near the walk-up bar that greets customers, Raymond pauses her story to quickly point out the fiber-optic ceiling decorated to resemble the starry sky with color-changing lights.

"Isn't it cool?" she said. "I wish I could do that in our bedroom."

She does this occasionally to highlight other aspects of The Coffee Vein's decor — the fireplace, the pool table, the cushioned chairs and the tile — but invariably the conversation steers back to coffee.

Raymond guesses she was about 12 when she had her first taste of coffee.

"My mother took me for my first cup and I remember I thought, 'Hey, this is good,' " she said. When they moved to Los Angeles soon after, drinking a morning cup together "became our morning thing."

Since she was 17, Raymond has worked in the coffee industry serving as a barista and manager for no fewer than seven shops and cafés — starting with her first job at One Cup at a Time in El Con Mall.

She frequently toyed with the idea of starting her own business, but fear of failure kept her from moving forward, she said.

Then along came Huffstetler, whose time spent managing his father's local dental practice was on par with Raymond's years of service in the coffee business. The two hit it off, though not romantically, at first. They began dating in earnest only last April.

Their comfort with each other comes through in their conversations, which often begin with one person speaking and end with the other.

"We have been friends for 12 years," Huffstetler said.

— "It's a slightly romantic story," Raymond added.

— "Which we won't go into."

— "No, I'll go into it," she says, letting out a quick laugh before launching into their history together.

"We fell in love really quickly," she continued. But "It wasn't like you meet someone at a bar and say, 'Hey, let's start a business.' "

Both knew what they wanted in a café, and borrowed what they described as their best memories from other coffee bars and cafés.

"We like to have a melting pot of cultures and clientele," Huffstetler said.

He describes The Coffee Vein as a place where Harley-Davidson bikers, students and artists could feel equally comfortable. "I think people take ownership of the places they visit. They know what they want and how they like it made."

"It's like a bar without the alcohol," Raymond added.

The name refers to a comment from a former employer of Raymond's that she had coffee, not blood, running in her veins.

In the short time they've been open, The Coffee Vein has already attracted a steady number of regulars, she said — customers like Robbie Brown, 21, a student at the nearby Pima Community College Downtown Campus.

The Coffee Vein's proximity to the campus is a big reason he frequents it, but he explained, "It's a complete coffee shop. They have quality services, quality coffee and a quality atmosphere."

Huffstetler is still employed full-time managing his father's dental office and shares joint custody of his 2-year-old daughter. So to help juggle their time, the pair hired a full-time morning manager, Michael Trevino.

As certain as they are about what they want The Coffee Vein to become, Raymond's clear on what she doesn't want.

"It's a snooty business," she said. But "I don't want to fall in that trap. I don't want to be that guy."

"No," agreed Huffstetler. "You don't want to be that guy."