My Story

story

Welcome to Mi Cartagena Café! Where every cup tells a story.

Hello Friends

I’m Kerlis, your friendly barista and the heart behind Mi Cartagena Café.

I was born and raised in Cartagena, Colombia—a city full of color, history, music, and a vibrant way of life. One thing that connects us all, no matter where we’re from, is the comforting aroma of coffee.

My love for coffee began in my grandmother Susana’s kitchen. She taught me to prepare it with love, patience, passion, and a deep respect for tradition.

She used to say, “Coffee isn’t just a drink—it’s a way to bring people together.” That has always stayed with me because, for us, it truly did bring hearts together.

From my grandmother, I also learned values that shaped who I am today: strength, resilience, faith, honesty, hard work, and a heart full of compassion and love.
“Con un carácter fuerte como el café”—“With a strong character like coffee.”

One of my favorite memories is our little coffee ritual. We would prepare Cafecito de Olla, the traditional way we make coffee in Colombia.

I’d stand on a stool beside her as she boiled water, added the rich coffee grounds, let them steep, and strained the brew into our cups. The aroma filled our home, warmed our hearts, and even drifted into the streets.

I watched in awe, holding my tiny espresso cup, waiting for that first magical sip.
Afternoons were my favorite. We’d use the coins we saved to buy a Cuca, a big molasses cookie, break it in half, and enjoy it together with our coffee.

So, How Did This Girl from the Tropics End up in Minnesota’s Wonderland?

Love brought me, and my dream kept me here.
I followed love. I followed a dream.

Life brought me to the small town of Detroit Lakes to be with the one I love, surrounded by beautiful waters and wild nature, a different community, and a different way of living. The lakes reminded me of the ocean.

And I always knew I wanted to create a special place here, filled with the most beautiful and meaningful parts of my home. That’s how Mi Cartagena Café was born—not just as a business, but as a way to share a piece of my soul.

This café is more than a coffee shop.
It’s my story, my passion, and a space where everyone feels like family.
It is also my way of sharing the gifts God has given me.

Every step I’ve taken to get here has been guided by faith, and every challenge has been met with His grace.

Today, at Mi Cartagena, every cup is made with care. Every guest is welcomed with love. And every day is a chance to pour kindness into the world.

The coffee I serve is specialty coffee, carefully selected and crafted with attention to every detail. Each sip is an experience, allowing you to taste unique flavor notes and the heart behind them.
It’s a coffee experience that brings joy and a touch of sweetness to your day.

This café is my dream. I built it with faith, hard work, and a desire to create a place where people step into my world, feel my presence, and appreciate who I am and what I do.

Here, I prepare each drink with special love for each one of you.
I want every guest who walks through my doors to feel seen, loved, uplifted, and respected.

What I offer here, you won’t find everywhere.
It’s not just coffee— connection, warmth, joy, and a little taste of true heart.

What Makes Our Coffee So Special?

Mi Cartagena Café, we serve specialty coffee**—and that means every single cup has a purpose, a process, and a story behind it.

Our beans are grown on small farms in the mountains of Colombia, high above sea level, where the climate is ideal for growing exceptional coffee.

These farms care for each plant with deep respect, using organic and sustainable practices.

The coffee cherries are hand-picked**, one by one, at the perfect moment of ripeness. Then they go through a careful selection process to ensure only the best beans continue forward.

Then comes the roasting: we partner with expert roasters who work in small batches to create precise roasting profiles that highlight the unique flavor notes of each origin, like chocolate,

fruit, florals, or nuttiness. The result is a fresh, vibrant, complex coffee that doesn’t need sugar to taste amazing.

And finally, we prepare every cup using **precise brewing recipes and methods** that honor those flavors, so you can truly experience what makes specialty coffee so special.

This is coffee with a heart. Coffee made slowly, lovingly. From the farm to your cup.

Mi puppy Jack…

Mi-Jack, a beautiful white English Labrador, and my best friend, my family. He was the café’s first official greeter and, of course, our very own muffin taster! He had a blast here, greeting guests with a wagging tail and soaking up all the love. Every day, he inspired us to smile a little bigger and appreciate the simple moments. I love him forever. He was always by my side at the café, greeting every customer with his joyful tail and loving spirit. He gave me strength on the hardest days, and he reminded me why I opened this café in the first place—to feel connected, to give love, and to build something meaningful. Jack is still part of this place, and always will be. He’d sit by the door, greet every guest with love, and remind me what it means to be present and joyful, no matter how hard the day was. He was family, and part of the soul of Mi Cartagena.
Though he’s gone now, his love lives on here.
So no, this isn’t just a coffee shop.

It’s a story.
It’s my story.
It’s a tribute to love and to the beautiful people who walk through my door and trust me with their time and hearts.
Thank you for being here, for supporting this small business. For letting me serve you and for allowing me to keep sharing this dream, cup at a time.
When you walk through our doors, you’re not just stepping into a café. You’re stepping into a living story—written in love, brewed with tradition, and poured with joy and love.
From my heart to yours, Kerlis