We recently had the chance to connect with Gena Haidar and have shared our conversation below.
Gena, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’m most proud of the foundation I’ve built within myself. The kind of strength that doesn’t always show up in photos or posts, but holds everything together behind the scenes. People see Cedar Rose Cafe, the trailer, the creativity, the branding but what they don’t see are the nights I sat alone figuring out how to start over, the mornings I showed up anyway, and the quiet persistence that kept me going when it would’ve been easier to give up.
I’ve built stability out of uncertainty, peace out of heartbreak, and a sense of belonging out of thin air. What nobody sees is how much faith and discipline it takes to keep rebuilding when no one’s cheering you on. That invisible work, the emotional backbone behind everything I do is what I’m most proud of.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Gena, and I’m the founder of Cedar Rose Cafe, a mobile coffee business rooted in connection, creativity, and heart. The journey began as Pita Diva, a pop-up market shop where I sold Lebanese sides to-go. It quickly grew into a small brick and mortar cafe. A space brought to life by a mural from two local artists that honored my Lebanese roots and my maternal grandparents’ love story. That space became a reflection of everything I value: heritage, resilience, and artistry. When the location proved too tucked away, my community rallied behind me, helping transform the dream into a mobile cafe now stationed in the scenic town of Santa Ysabel, just below Julian and Wynola.
At Cedar Rose Cafe, I serve handcrafted espresso drinks and scratch made treats, each created with intention and often signature drinks named after songs from my generation. Music has always been a language of connection for me, much like coffee. Blending the two has turned Cedar Rose into more than a business. It’s a living expression of story, rhythm, and soul, where every cup carries a little piece of home.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was curious and imaginative girl growing up in Lebanon during the civil war. A time when survival and hope existed side by side. I remember the sound of rockets and the scent of my Taita’s Za’atar flatbread blending into one memory, a reminder that even in the darkest of moments, love and culture found a way to live on.
My father was an entrepreneur, and from him I learned how to create opportunity from nothing. My older brother, Eddie carried that same determination and vision, and both of them shaped how I saw the world, that even circumstance feel uncertain, there’s always room to build, to create and to start again.
Somewhere along the way, life tried to harden me, but through rebuilding my life and creating Cedar Rose Cafe, I’ve found my way back to that girl. The one who saw beauty in chaos and believed that even the hardest stories can still grow into something beautiful.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There were definitely times I almost gave up, moments when exhaustion, heartbreak and the weight of starting over made me question if it was even worth continuing. In the beginning, I had help getting started, but that support eventually disappeared, leaving me to rebuild with little more than faith, determination, and a handful of loyal people who believed in me. I didn’t have the independent financial start I would’ve preferred, and every decision came with sacrifice, stretching what little I had to keep my vision alive.
Still, something inside me refused to quit. It was the same quiet strength that carried me through my childhood in Lebanon during the war. the instinct to survive, adapt, and create something meaningful out of chaos. Thats what kept me going.
Cedar Rose Cafe was born from that mix of grit and grace. It’s more than a business, it’s proof that even when support fades and resources run dry, theres still something inside us that knows how to rise.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
The cultural value I protect at all costs is hospitality! The kind that comes from the heart, not just the hands. Growing up in a Lebanese family, I learned that food and coffee were never just about eating or drinking. They were how we showed love, care and respect. Even during the hardest times, there was always something to offer, a plate, a seat, a gesture of belonging.
That sense of generosity and connection has carried through every part of my life and now lives at the center of Cedar Rose Cafe. Every cup, every treat, and every conversation is rooted in that same value, to make people feel seen, welcomed and at home.
To me, true hospitality isn’t about business, it’s about soul. It’s how I honor my roots, my family, and the people who helped me rebuild when I had almost nothing. It’s the one value I’ll never compromise.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I built something with heart. That I lived honestly, gave generously, and created beauty from difficult places. I hope they remember that I never stopped showing up, even when things were hard and that every step of my journey was guided by faith, love and perseverance.
I want my story to remind others that strength doesn’t always look loud. Sometimes it’s quiet, steady and rooted in hope. I want people to know that Cedar Rose Cafe wasn’t just about coffee, it was about connection, culture, and creating small moments of peace in a noisy world.
If I leave anything behind, I hope it’s the example that you can start over at any point in life, and still build something meaningful. That even after loss or struggle, there’s always room to grow something beautiful, one cup, one conversation, one act of courage at a time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cedarrosecafe.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cedarrosecafe
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cedarrosecafe/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Cedarrosecafe
