s the scent of fresh ground coffee wafts through the downtown area , the aroma can be traced back to Fifth Street Coffee where owner , Yolanda Castaneda , is found performing her weekly ritual of roasting coffee beans . Fifth Street Coffee is the only coffee shop in town to do so . The roaster used to create the familiar fragrance is located in the front of the shop near the large window for all to see .

Owning and operating a coffee shop was not something Yolanda thought she would ever be doing . She was working in the financial services industry for seven years and was quite comfortable . After some encouragement from her sister , Yolanda looked into the opportunity to purchase the business , which was named Dragonfly Coffee at the time . The more she thought about it , the more she couldnʼt resist . Yolanda made the leap from employee to entrepreneur nearly three-years ago . She renovated the interior and renamed the shop , Fifth Street Coffee .

Fifth Street Coffee also offers a variety of specialty coffees such as Almond Honey Latte , a very popular drink amongst locals ; Lavender Honey Latte ; Horchata Latte and Mexican Mocha to name a few . Customers can purchase bagels , lemon scones , cookies , donuts and breads provided by local bakeries . They also carry 14 flavors of Marianneʼs Ice Cream including German Chocolate Cake , Lavender , Mint Chip and Cookie Dough . Of course , she offers Coffee ice cream as well .

Fifth Street Coffee , which is located at the corner of 5th Street and Monterey , is open Monday - Saturday from 7 am to 7 pm and Sundays from 8 am to 3 pm .

The Business and Education Committee of the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the second annual mock interview event at Gilroy and Christopher High Schools . The event , which is called , “ Rock the Mock ,” is scheduled for March 24 and 25 . Students from Mt . Madonna High School and Gilroy Early College Academy will also be involved . Participants will have the opportunity to rotate through four workshops entitled , “ How to Prepare for the Interview ,” “ Dress for Success ,” “ Your Digital Identity & How to Handshake ,” along with “ The Interview .” Some 200 students are expected to participate and learn vital skills that can be applied to their job prospecting . For more information about Rock-the-Mock and how you can help , contact the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce .

GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN MARCH / APRIL 2016 gmhtoday . com

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