It’s a sultry Saturday at 2 p.m., closing time for the brand-new coffee shop, The Fix Café.
The October weather is unseasonably warm, and the city seems like it hasn’t had its morning cup of joe yet.
But inside, the café still percolates. Owner Lakshmi Tanniru and café partner Liz Albayero are waiting on their final customers of the day, ready to mix up a stiff Americano, frothy latte, specialty tea, coconut drink, lemonade and more. Two stylish young women sip, chat and check their phones at a sturdy table in the center of the café, by faux archways and illuminated letters on the wall that spell out “F.I.X”.
Tanniru, 28, wearing a plaid button-down shirt, khaki pants and the requisite mask, is behind the counter mixing up caffeinated concoctions that double as drinkable works of art. Albayero works the register. The café still glistens with newness, colored in tones of chocolate brown and café au lait, with dark wooden beams, hardwood floors, patterned throw rugs, upholstered chairs and modern pendant and track lighting.
Earlier in the day, Tanniru said, the crowds were large and the lines long, so word of where to get your latest caffeine fix is spreading.
He is attracting more than a downtown crowd to his fledgling venture. A few young coffee-lovers drove over from New Cumberland after discovering the café on Instagram, he said, and he’s eager to make the drive worth their while.
In addition to serving fragrant java, The Fix offers up the only 3-D latte art machine in Harrisburg, a futuristic stainless-steel appliance that literally “prints” the picture of your choice in your foam. In 10 seconds, you can garnish your latte with a selfie, your business logo, your pet, the love of your life, or any photo on your phone, using a cartridge infused with coffee extract “ink.”
When Tanniru sits down to chat at the counter that runs along the front of the café, with a picture-perfect view of the expansive steel-gray southern end of the Capitol Complex, he brings something else with him. It’s not The Fix’s popular Nutella crepe, nor a double espresso. He needs his laptop. He is taking an online course as a student at Harrisburg University, studying for his master’s degree in project management, so he is listening to a class while working. His professor has given the class a break until 2:05 p.m.
He earned his undergraduate degree in computer science. It has always been his lifelong ambition to be an entrepreneur, Tanniru said. He predicts that he will probably find a full-time job in project management after graduation next summer, but will also keep the coffee shop brewing on the side.
“I don’t know where life will take me,” he said.
He bought the Walnut Street building in 2019 and worked meticulously with his father on every detail, from the coffee-colored walls to the healthy green plants to the New Age chandeliers and track lighting, the large clock and welcome sign, the wooden ceiling beams, the piped-in piano music, and the soft patterned chairs.
His ingredients for success are clearly hard work and a strong pour of concern for customer satisfaction.
Liz at the counter asks customers, “So how’s your day been so far?”
Tanniru says often, “I really hope you like our coffee.”
His segue from operating Namaste Indian Cuisine, in Lemoyne, to a downtown coffee shop was a fluid transition. He has always loved coffee, he said, so he started doing research about how to make the finest brew. He began using up mass quantities of milk and coffee beans to perfect his craft.
His café opened quietly early last month, delayed many times because of the ongoing pandemic.
He misses state workers and is eager for them to return to their downtown offices after shifting to teleworking status in March. He also misses HU students, as HU has gone fully online this semester.
He has lived in Harrisburg since 2006. He grew up in India, surrounded by a large family, all living together in tight quarters.
Here in Harrisburg, he knows the local coffee-drinking market well. He refuses to criticize the ubiquitous Starbucks shops of the world. He admits Starbucks is good, too. But cafés like his have taken coffee to a whole new level. His beans are ultra-fresh, ordered from Wisconsin and Virginia and used within two days.
His exclusive roaster in Wisconsin provides the beans for the Fix’s cold brew and drip coffees. Other drip coffee beans and espresso beans hail from his roaster in Virginia.
His premium milk comes from Apple Valley Creamery in East Berlin, which has become the only kind of milk his mom will now use.
Next on the menu: savory vegan crepes. He found a new batter recipe that he will soon be using to provide a top-notch crepe.
When plans for The Fix were brewing, he intentionally picked a site by the granite and bronze of the state Capitol.
“I knew that state workers would support local small businesses,” Tanniru said.
For cramming students, weary state workers, and coffee lovers everywhere, it’s good to know the Fix is in.
The Fix Café is located at 403 Walnut St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their Facebook or Instagram pages.
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