QAHWAH HOUSE

Behind The Filter: Unfiltered Weekly

A Chat with Qahwah House Owner Ahmed Shaik

Get ready for an incredibly insightful and inspiring episode of the Behind The Filter podcast! This week, on Unfiltered Weekly, we sit down with Ahmed Shaik, the passionate owner of Qahwah House in Fishers, Indiana, to talk about his journey building a coffee brand dedicated to quality, community, and standing up against hate.

QahWah House isn't just a coffee shop; it's a rapidly growing brand with a profound history, and Ahmed shares the full, unfiltered story—from his start as a loyal customer to the challenges of facing racist attacks in his new community.

The Genesis of Qahwah House in Indiana

Ahmed Shaik’s connection to coffee runs deep. He describes himself as a "true coffee connoisseur," who was initially a dedicated Starbucks customer—drinking three shots of espresso to start his day and three more when he got home! His search for a replacement during a boycott led him to discover the Qahwah brand in Chicago.

What made Qahwah stand out? The taste and the quality. "This is it. I had the coffee. I'm like, this is it."

Ahmed quickly became a huge fan, spending an estimated "$3,000, $4,000" in one year just on his own coffee, before deciding to become a part of the brand.

Why Qahwah's Coffee is Different

Ahmed explains the difference is in the beans, which are sourced from the brand's own farms in Yemen, where the family has been cultivating coffee for 50-60 years. This legacy and commitment to natural farming practices are key.

"I came to realize that they have their own farms in Yemen. Like the whole family has been doing this for past 50, 60 years."

• Organic: The beans are grown organically, free of pesticides, chemicals, and fertilizers.

• Mold-Free: The team ensures the coffee is mold-free.

• Freshness: They grow, ship, and roast their own beans live in-house.

  
  

The name itself, Qahwah (Kahwa), holds historical significance, as Ahmed notes the word "coffee" is derived from it. Bringing the brand to Fishers, Indiana, was a strategic move, seeing the city as a newly developed, busy area ready to embrace something new and high-quality.

The Community Response and Unexpected Challenges

Upon opening, Qahwah House experienced immediate success, needing no initial marketing due to the community's openness to trying new things.

"We had customer from day one. That's great... And the one thing I really liked about the community of Fishers, they love new things. Yes, they do. They love to try new stuff."

However, this success brought unwanted attention. Ahmed describes experiencing racist verbal attacks—sometimes from competitors, but also from individuals yelling hateful, xenophobic comments from their cars, telling "Muslim people go back to your country." This hate was also directed at the nearby mosque.

Ahmed made the decision to speak out, bringing awareness to the issue instead of waiting for something worse to happen.

Killing Them with Kindness and Community Support

Despite the negativity, Ahmed's response is one of wisdom and non-aggression.

"This is what I have been taught all my life. If someone hates you, you don't hate them back. Someone hits you; you don't hit them back... You wait and you find the right way through your wisdom."

A social media post and story I did about the situation went viral, bringing out an overwhelming wave of support from the community. Ahmed notes the beautiful sight of diverse families, including grandmothers bringing their grandkids, showing up to support his shop.

"Past few days, I have been seeing grandmothers bringing grandkids, families coming out, and they're specifically bringing their kids. And that tells you something. They want to teach their kids how to support and love different kind of people, like who was going through racial discrimination."

He describes his coffee shop on the weekends as a vibrant space where people of all backgrounds—different countries, languages, and skin colors—gather peacefully, focused on their commonality.

A Message for the Younger Generation

The conversation also touches on the ideology of fascism, which Ahmed believes is being picked up by some of the younger generation—Gen Z—who are "confused minded" due to misinformation and a lack of true guidance.

"They are moving towards fascism. And that's the worst ideology Americans can ever have."

His message is clear: success comes from unity, not division. He emphasizes that the beauty of America lies in its diversity, which only makes the nation stronger.

"I think we should focus on our commonality. Forget the differences... The beauty of America is people from different countries, speaking different languages, enjoying different cuisine. That's the beauty."

Join us as Ahmed Shaik shares his powerful story of entrepreneurship, legacy, and turning a moment of hate into an opportunity for community and inclusion.

Watch or listen to the full episode below!

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~J