Just over 11 years ago, Ria Takhar and her mom decided to go into business together. Perk Place Coffeehouse and Bakery has been a busy spot ever since.

“My generation grew up watching ‘Friends,’ and the ‘Friends’ coffee shop is Central Perk. And so we just decided Perk Place,” Takhar said. “We bake the majority of our stuff from scratch, my mother’s recipes.”

They use local Duluth Coffee Company espresso in drinks like the ever-popular Salty Sailor, a latte with caramel and English Toffee flavors and four twists of Himalayan pink salt.

“We’ve had it for many, many years and it has been a staple and people just love it. It’s one of my favorite drinks,” Takhar said.

The people that enter the coffee shop and wave from the front door keep her going.

“I’ve been asked for years, like what’s your demographic?” she said. “And I specifically say there isn’t one, I’m standing by that.”

Perk Place is in the Kenwood Shopping Center.