Owning Café Lily a Dream Come True

Sean Sassani is only 23 years old, but his life dream has already come true. He’s the proud new owner of —formally Tuscan Sunrise Coffee and Tea—a business he shares with his mother and the shop’s namesake, Lily Jahani.

“I write short stories for fun and most of my stories are based on my encounters with people,” said Sassani, explaining why this café is so important to him. “A lot of those encounters took place in a coffee shop. My dream is to create the experience that I felt … for others.”

He says part of that experience comes from the eclectic collection of inherited furniture and coffee cups, which allow his customers to choose things that are uniquely them. He’s also added some of his own flare to the menu.

“I just decided to make paninis one day because I love cooking,” Sassani said, who has hopes of making them a signature item.

With exactly two weeks as boss under his belt now, Sassani recalls being nervous on his first day.

“It was my first experience working at a coffee shop,” he said. “I really tried to get a job at a coffee shop before this but nobody would hire me for some reason.”

There’s no website available yet, but the café can be reached at 858-487-3415.