Finding a perfect coffee shop is similar to finding a pair of jeans that fit just right, a stay-at-home rainy day, butter melting on warm bread or freshly cleaned sheets. Tipsy Bean is a local coffee shop here in Erie that appeals to whoever walks through the front door!

Coffee beans originate as seeds, and, similarly to coffee, Tipsy Bean planted its coffee seeds in the Erie Hill District Neighborhood at 2425 Peach Street a little over 15 years ago. The founder and CEO of Tipsy Bean, Gisele Littrell, is a fun and eclectic musician whose personality positively reflects her lively coffee shop. Littrell said that Tipsy Bean was created “so that we could really bring inclusivity and diversity to a city that is budding with growth.”

Immediately when you enter this coffee shop all of your senses are stimulated, from the smell of espresso, the chatter of caffeinated customers, baked goods tingling your taste buds, to the vibrant walls, rugs and decor that adorn the shop. “I really want to incorporate the feel and essence of creativity,” Littrell said. “That’s really what I want: to inspire everyone who walks through this door.”

Tipsy Bean is well-known for its fun cartoon-drawn characters that decorate the side of the coffee shop as a mural as well as appear on the shop’s merchandise and coffee sleeves. Littrell stated that Tipsy Bean offers her a platform “that is really going to incorporate the diversity of the world, all the people in it and the different regions and origins that these coffee beans come from. It may seem like we have some cute characters to showcase, but ultimately it’s about educating and drawing us together,” she said.

Tipsy Bean is always creating new and fun specials for their customers, especially for holidays. Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, some specials to look out for is the Cupid’s Kiss Latte (lavender and vanilla), Teddy Bear Hug Cappuccino (brown sugar cinnamon and marshmallow), Candy Hearts Smoothie (blueberry, orange, strawberry, and raspberry), Love Potion Quencher (hibiscus, blue matcha, blueberry and raspberry) and an Indonesian Coffee.

Tipsy Bean is also offering a fun Valentine’s Day giveaway. Make sure to stop in the store to guess how many candy hearts are in a jar for the chance to win a free beverage and a half-off pastry of choice.

A lot of Mercyhurst students love Tipsy Bean and even shared their go-to orders as recommendations! “Tipsy Bean is a quirky little coffee shop in Erie that has a variety of flavored syrups and dietary foods,” Owen Moore, a freshman fashion merchandising major said. “My favorite drink is a brown sugar latte with almond milk.” Mary Torrez, a junior cyber security major enjoys the vanilla iced latte the best. Katie Misko, a freshman fashion merchandising major, said that her favorite beverage to get at Tipsy Bean is the lavender latte with oat milk.

If you are not able to make it out to this coffee shop, you can always order by door-dash. Tipsy Bean is very accommodating for any dietary restrictions that their customers might have. They offer a variety of milk substitutions for any drinks, as well as an array of pastries that are dairy, sugar and gluten-free, making sure that there is something for everyone.

This coffee shop is all about supporting the Erie community whether it be their customers or other small businesses. You can find merchandise such as headbands and handmade mugs from other local small businesses for sale at Tipsy Bean. Make sure to check out this coffee shop on your next off-campus venture to not only get a great coffee and pastry but also to support a small local business!