Jared Haibon and Ashley Iaconetti's 'Bachelor'-Themed Cafe Includes Fun Nods to the Franchise
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Sydney Gordon
Jared Haibon always dreamt of opening up his own restaurant — but something he never envisioned the eatery would include? Countless Bachelor touches.
The Rhode Island native and his wife, Ashley Iaconetti, 34, who met on the second season of Bachelor in Paradise, opened Audrey's Coffee House & Lounge in December. Since Haibon, 33, wanted to capture the essence of a family business, the cafe in South Kingston, Rhode Island is named after Iaconetti's mother. But Audrey's also pays homage to their love story with everything from the menu items to the decorations.
"We have so many nods because we love the franchise. And we're very appreciative of everything that the franchise has given to us," Haibon tells PEOPLE. "We're very lucky that we ended up falling in love and met because of The Bachelor. Legitimately, there would be no Audrey's without The Bachelor."
Sydney Gordon
A wooden sign hangs above Audrey's cozy fireplace. "Monday nights we drink wine and watch The Bachelor. Tuesday mornings we drink coffee and recap," it reads. The message is something they regularly practice. Haibon and Iaconetti host weekly Bachelor nights, oftentimes reaching their maximum occupancy of around 90 people.
"The place really fills up with a whole bunch of Bachelor fans that get really into the episode," Iaconetti says. "On commercial breaks, Jared and I will take time for questions. Sometimes we quiz with Bachelor trivia in commercial breaks. And then we also do a little meet and greet line at the end so everybody can get a picture."
Bachelor Nation fan favorites often stop by for meet and greet events, too. Last month, Mike Johnson from season 15 of The Bachelorette visited and "the lines were coming out both doors," says Iaconetti. "We probably rotated through 300 people." Serena Pitt and Joe Amabile, who got engaged on season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise, also stopped by early this month for two ticketed events at Audrey's.
"I say that if I wasn't on the show, I 1000% would be those people making sure I got tickets, driving hours to Audrey's," says Iaconetti, admitting she was a "total fangirl" before appearing on the show.
Aside from the fun events, the coffee house promises more subtle nods to the reality giant, including fun coffee names like the Trip to Paradise, which is a banana hazelnut iced latte. Another hilarious drink is the Most Dramatic Mocha Ever, playfully mocking how the series declares every season the most dramatic season ever — year after year.
Along with coffee, Audrey's also offers cocktails. Some retired alcoholic beverages were the Rose Ceremony and the Take A Moment And Say Your Goodbyes.
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Sydney Gordon
Bachelor stars make appearances at the Rhode Island spot in more ways than one. Ben Higgins, who was the season 20 bachelor, founded his own coffee company, Generous Coffee, and the BIP couple brews it on site.
"It's a nonprofit. So legitimately every cup of coffee you're buying is going to charity. It's a great company. It's great tasting coffee. We have a light and dark roast and espresso from there," Haibon adds.
Audrey's definitely fulfills Haibon's dream of opening a family-run establishment. The couple often brings their 6-month-old, Dawson, to the cafe. "He's the true offspring of reality contestants because he just needs all the attention and he's like, 'Look at me.' He loves going around and hanging out with people," says Iaconetti. "I don't think he's ever been so calm as he was during the madhouse that was the Mike Johnson meet and greet."
While Audrey's is certainly a place for pop culture enthusiasts, Haibon says it's ultimately a "cozy and comfortable" cafe.
"Of course, we have nods to The Bachelor because we love it so much. At the heart of what Audrey's is, it's truly a coffee shop lounge," he says. "Yes, it's a Bachelor destination, but I also want it to be a destination for everybody."
