The aroma of espresso rises outside of the little yellow cart in front of Holt Hall, and students gravitate to the promise of lattes. Love is in the air and birds are chirping since Lovebird Coffee opened in December 2023.
Lovebird is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. According to Rebecca Turri, founder of Lovebird coffee and Chico State alumn, rush hours tend to occur in between class times, particularly after 10 a.m.
Turri said the heart of the business lies in reaching students, and that her goal has always been to operate on campus.
“I wanted to be back here because I love the people, I love the environment,” Turri said. “I hope to continue to make a positive impact here on campus and become a place where students feel special and appreciated when visiting.”
The student reaction to Lovebird has been overwhelmingly positive, Turri said.
Prices at Lovebird are affordable for college students on a tight budget. A latte goes for $4, and there are a variety of affordable drink options for those who are not coffee drinkers.
“I remember as a student there would be days where I would have $10 in my bank account,” Turri said. “I just so badly wanted a treat, and I would go and spend five, six, seven bucks on a cup of coffee because it made me feel good.”
A key element of Lovebird lies in its partnerships with businesses around town.
“All of our stuff, as much as we can, stays local,” said Turri.
Lovebird serves Stoble coffee beans, and Turri says she wants her business to be “like Stoble’s fun, annoying sister.” Additionally, Lovebird serves Chico Chai and pastries from Tin Roof Bakery and Cafe.
Turri has deep roots at Chico State and studied business from 2016 to 2021. As a student, she was a member of Pi Sigma Epsilon and was involved in the Seufferlein Sales Program.
After graduating, she worked for Interwest Insurance before moving on to Bravado. Company layoffs left her looking for something new, but the job hunt proved difficult in the tech industry, especially in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Running a coffee shop has been Turri’s dream for 10 years, but brick-and-mortar is expensive.
The solution? Turn a 1960 Kenskill trailer into a groovy, mobile coffee trailer with a sleek ‘70s look to it, and run it with the help of her best friend Kennedy Johnston.
The pair met while working at a Starbucks 10 years ago, and Johnston now serves as Lovebird’s head of culinary and food service.
“She’s the brains behind all of our menu development, recipe curation and food science,” Turri said. “Working with my best friend on Chico State’s beautiful campus is a dream come true.”
David Turri, Rebecca Turri’s husband, has played a large role in turning Lovebird from a dream into reality. According to Turri, Lovebird would not be possible without his encouragement and construction expertise.
The name of the coffee trailer has several meanings behind it. Turri joked that she and her husband are called lovebirds, so the name just made sense for the pair.
Lovebird is also a shoutout to Turri’s love of birds, and is a subtle nod to the migration belt that Chico sits in.
Lovebird is Chico State alumni-owned, full of flavor and ready to satisfy the coffee craving so many students have.
Amy Blair can be reached at [email protected].
