Jim Davis / Arizona Daily Star

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When Julie and Felix Muñoz decided to chase their dream of working for themselves, they decided on coffee.

"We love the coffee shop environment," Julie Muñoz said. "We enjoy meeting and greeting customers. We knew we could create an atmosphere that's fun and upbeat."

It took the couple 18 months, from research to opening day, to realize their dream. They opened It's A Grind Coffee House, 7805 N. Oracle Road, near West Magee Road, in December.

"It's A Grind is a perfect fit for us," Julie Muñoz said. Felix, 55, works full time in sales for another company. Julie, 45, quit a job in sales at Tucson Newspapers a few years ago and is the store manager. The franchise was started in 1994 in Long Beach, Calif.

Inside the coffee shop, accent walls of slate and corrugated steel, along with a stamped concrete floor, serve as the backdrop for whipping up mochas, lattes and espressos. Jazz and blues music plays in the background, and large, original paintings of jazz and blues musicians hang on the walls.

The Muñozes' shop is the second It's A Grind location on the Northwest Side, and the first with a drive-through. The other franchise is owned by someone else.

Wooden tables and chairs, and several groupings of cushy wing chairs centered by a single table invite customers to linger.

"We want them to feel this is a home away from home, right down to the stuffy chairs and the customer service," Muñoz said.

Customers gravitate toward the comfy chairs with drinks in hand. Mark Heinz, 49, was settled into a wing chair last week. His laptop computer was riding the Wi-Fi wave, and papers were spread out on the table in front of him.

"It's the perfect environment to get the day started," Heinz said. "Good coffee that's reasonably priced. The ambience. Comfortable chairs. Nice music. Conducive to work. Great, free Wi-Fi."

Ambience aside, coffee that is blended, dripped, iced or flavored is the main buzz. Customers can buy whole-bean coffee to take home. Pastries and tea bought from local companies and other non-coffee drinks also are on the menu. Catering services are offered for up to 100 people.

"We go with a high quality of coffee beans," Muñoz said. "We get coffees from all over the world. Our roasting process is top of the line."

She smiles when she talks about her 22 part-time employees, whom she calls the "kids." "When I need the kids to get serious, they work hard. But when we have downtime, we have fun," she said. 

Regular customer Brittany Parish, 22, said she likes having another coffeehouse option. "I meet my friends here a lot. The free Wi-Fi is awesome. It's a nice alternative to Starbucks."

In the fall, live music will become a regular event on Fridays or Saturdays.