Greenfield’s old Starbucks spot is getting a Yemeni twist. Matari Coffee, a Yemeni-inspired coffee chain, is moving into the former Starbucks space on South 76th Street, with its first Wisconsin location slated to open March 1. The arrival plants a new flag in the local coffee scene, swapping out a national giant for a niche chain built on Yemeni flavors.
Owner Mauyad Asad told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Greenfield customers can expect Matari chai, a Yemeni latte and a seasonal peach tea laced with Himalayan salt on the menu. He said the concept leans on Yemeni brewing traditions and specialty beans to create premium drinks that speak both to Yemeni diaspora customers and to everyday neighborhood regulars looking for something different from their usual chain order.
About Matari Coffee
According to Matari Coffee’s website, the company is based in Romulus, Michigan, and currently lists locations in Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, New York and Canada. The locations page shows a mix of existing shops and several more tagged as “coming soon,” with Greenfield on the roster of upcoming openings.
Where it will set up shop
The Greenfield café is slated for 4741 S. 76th St., the address that most recently housed a Starbucks. Local inspection records show a Starbucks now operating at 8925 W Sura Lane, indicating the national chain shifted off 76th Street before Matari stepped in. Those records appear in Greenfield’s retail food facility listings and point to a simple swap that regulars on 76th Street will notice the next time they pull in for a coffee run.
Yemeni beans and tradition
The chain says it sources its beans from Yemen’s Bani Matar region, according to Matari Coffee’s website, a detail that also shows up in the brand’s flavor descriptions. Yemen, and the port city of Mokha in particular, played a central role in the early global coffee trade beginning in the 15th century, putting those beans in deeper historical context, per reporting by Al Jazeera. That heritage has become a calling card for specialty shops looking to stand apart from mainstream coffee chains.
When to expect it
On the company’s locations page, Matari’s Greenfield entry is currently marked “coming soon,” and Asad has pegged March 1 as the planned opening date. The same page lists additional forthcoming locations in several other states and in Canada, signaling a stretch of rapid growth beyond the brand’s Michigan base. As opening day gets closer, the Greenfield shop is expected to roll out final operating hours and any soft-opening details for locals eager to sample the new spot.
