When walking into Chico’s Coffee in Clinton, the nose is greeted by the pleasant toasty and nutty smell that is synonymous with a good cup of joe. Warm lighting and faint music playing from outside gives Chico’s the feel of your favorite local coffee shop. However, beneath the sights, sounds and smells of a classic coffee shop lies a story of love, tragedy and the American dream that brings Chico’s Coffee a step above your local Starbucks.

The last thing Chico’s owner Christian Cordova expected to be doing in life was working at a coffee shop. As the quiet kid in school, Cordova always wanted to be a chef. However, due to the high cost and relatively distant locations of culinary schools Cordova, a Clinton native, was unable to attend.

“I worked at Prestage Farms and Mi Finca, but I wasn

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