Mercy Coffee and Tea turns faith into a family business.

2025 FRONTeras Magazine Vol. 1 No. 3 Issue

Mercy Coffee and Tea Shop sits across from the Roma Post Office, where caffeine meets conviction. Opened in February 2025 by Roma native Synthia García, the shop has become a sanctuary for locals who want more than a quick drive-thru latte. It’s Roma’s answer to corporate coffee.

Located at 1735 East Grant Street, Mercy Coffee and Tea Shop offers faith, flavor, and friendliness.

Synthia didn’t start with espresso shots or frothy art. She began with tapioca pearls. Her original plan was to open something Roma didn’t have—a boba shop. But customers spoke with their wallets. “Se estaba vendiendo más el café,” she said. Coffee began outselling everything, and her direction changed with it.

“I love coffee. I love to create,” Synthia said, laughing like someone who runs on caffeine and creativity. The coffee shop prepares its own syrups, each one tailored to local tastes. Mercy’s seasonal drinks change with the weather, giving customers a reason to come back even when the South Texas heat tries to melt them into their seats.

They also offer daily specials and novelty items like elotes preparados and Gansitos preparados. The menu goes beyond coffee—fruit teas, aguas minerales, and rusas round out their colorful lineup. And on Wednesdays, when the week feels endless, customers can get a “Shot of Mercy,” an espresso shot meant to awaken the soul.

The shop feels like a cross between a living room and a youth center. There’s Wi-Fi, books, and board games on the shelves.

Synthia wanted to roll out the carpet for young people. “Algo donde puedan venir, donde puedan estar aquí,” she said. Roma, she believes, needs places where teens can hang out and simply be young.

She named the shop Mercy because, as she explains, “God has shown mercy to me every single day.” Synthia attends Renova Church in Rio Grande City. At Mercy, faith is the foundation of the business. “Even if I don’t deserve what God gives me, He still gives it to me. He’s graceful and merciful every day of my life.”

“His mercies are new every morning.” The verse from Lamentations fits the shop’s name like cream in coffee. It lingers softly between sips, a small truth poured into every cup—much like the spirit of Mercy itself, where faith settles into the routine of daily life, as natural as pouring the first coffee of the day.

For Synthia, devotion isn’t a marketing strategy. It’s a business model.

She’s a notary public by trade, a wife, and a mother of four—ages 21, 18, 14, and 8. The shop supports five families, all living off what the community gives back. “It’s not just selling coffee,” she said. “We live off the community. Every time we sell, we pay our sales tax, and it goes back to the community. To shop in Roma will leave your money in Roma.”

Synthia knows Roma isn’t Austin. There’s no influencer crowd, no coffee snobs holding tastings. But that’s exactly the point. Mercy Coffee isn’t a franchise. It’s a family affair. “There are five families that you guys are supporting when you come to our coffee shop,” she said.

“We can’t compete with Starbucks, and we don’t want to,” she said. “We can give you other things... local flavors they can’t give you.” Mercy Coffee was never meant to copy a chain. They stand on their own feet—firm in their faith.

Mercy Coffee brings a new rhythm to a town better known for its historic plaza than for lattes. Teachers stop in before school. Police officers grab their coffee to go. Friends gather for small talk and sweet drinks. The smell of cinnamon and espresso fills the space with something deeper than aroma—it feels like home. And if you need God, don’t worry, the Bible is on the shelf.