In the bustling landscape of Denver’s specialty coffee scene, Tí Cafe stands as a vibrant anomaly. Located on South Broadway, the shop is more than a caffeine pitstop. At the helm are three sisters—Sashaline, Shominic, and Shasitie Nguyen—who have successfully translated their Vietnamese-American heritage into one of the city’s most influential community hubs.

A Shared Vision Rooted in Identity

The genesis of Tí Cafe was not a sudden pivot but a slow-brewing realization. Growing up as the daughters of Vietnamese immigrants, the sisters were raised in a household where entrepreneurship was the primary language of survival and success. By 2006, after relocating to Denver, they noticed a stark lack of cultural visibility for Asian Americans in the mile high area.

“Tí Cafe began as a shared dream rooted in representation and identity,” the sisters explained. “As Vietnamese-American sisters raised by entrepreneurial parents, we always imagined creating something purposeful together. The idea of separating at adulthood felt almost alien.”

Before the cafe, the three were building distinct careers. Sashaline, 36, was navigating the high-stakes world of craft cocktails as a lead bartender at Welton Room. Shominic, 31, was established as a Creative Director for a Breckenridge-based brand studio, and Shasitie, 27, was honing her expertise in networking and brand experience as a personal stylist. Despite their individual successes, the pull of a unified legacy was stronger. They chose to consolidate their diverse skill sets into a single, formidable vision.

The Power of Three: Roles and Realities

The sisters have categorized their roles into three essential pillars: the Dreamer, the Organizer, and the Fixer.

• The Dreamer (Shominic): Serving as the Creative and Brand Content Director, Shominic is the architect of the “vibe.” Her background in UI/UX and design allows her to conceptualize menu themes and visual storytelling inspired by art and anime. She ensures that the customer experience is not just transactional, but imaginative.

• The Organizer (Shasitie): Every visionary needs a pragmatist. Shasitie is the operational backbone. She creates the systems, manages logistics, and oversees the scheduling that allows a small, family-run business to function with the efficiency of a major corporation.

• The Fixer (Sashaline): Occupying the “eldest sister” role both literally and figuratively, Sashaline is the primary problem-solver. Whether it’s a technical hiccup behind the bar or a complex business negotiation, her adaptability and level-headedness keep the ship steady during the inevitable storms of small business ownership.

“Even though we’re sisters, we’re three very different people,” they noted. “That dynamic of creativity, structure, and adaptability is the reason we can carry such heavy workloads and still stay motivated.”

Honoring the Tradition of the Phin

At the heart of their menu is a commitment to authenticity that refuses to be “modernized” for a Western palate. They use robusta beans imported directly from Vietnam and brew their espresso using the traditional phin—a metal slow-drip filter—rather than standard commercial machines.

The menu features ingredients that many Asian Americans recognize as the “flavors of home”: pandan, flan, mooncakes, and the savory pate chaud. For the Nguyen sisters, providing these flavors is an emotional mission.

“Hearing someone say, ‘I haven’t had this since I visited Vietnam,’ is the highest compliment we could receive,” they shared. “We know how grounding a familiar flavor can be, especially in a city where Asian food culture was once limited.”

As a woman-owned, family-run business, their leadership style is an extension of Vietnamese hospitality: it is familial rather than transactional. They don’t just serve a drink; they educate. They share the history of the ingredients and the stories behind the recipes.

The Evolution of Sisterhood

“Being a woman-owned business in Denver is incredibly empowering,” they confessed. “It symbolizes the determination to carve out space where it didn’t always exist. Our approach comes from a household where food was our love language and togetherness were non-negotiable.”



The sisters have transitioned from “growing up together” to building a future together. They acknowledge that the stakes are higher now—every decision impacts all three of them—but the reward is a deepened bond.

To avoid burnout, they make a conscious effort to celebrate progress rather than dwelling on challenges. They gather outside the shop for meals and activities, ensuring that the “sisterhood” remains the priority over the “business.”

The sisters say: “Always trust your vision, even if it feels unfamiliar or risky. You don’t need to be good at everything to start—you just need clarity on what you bring to the table and what support you need along the way.”

As Tí Cafe continues to grow as a hub for local artists and creators, it fulfills the sisters’ original goal: creating the space they wished they had growing up.

Follow and connect with Ti Café on Instagram at @ti.cafe.

See their menu at ti.cafe.