Erika Flannery

“I was looking for a place where everybody could come together,” Erika Flannery says of opening Café La Jefa during the pandemic. “We were so tired of  being at home, and I wanted to create a space where people can feel welcome and escape.”

Flannery came to Palm Springs from Mexico as a teenager and has built a life and career that revolves around community. Her café, located at Flannery Exchange — a mixed-use retail space conceptualized by her husband, Mike — blends her love of coffee, Latin flavors, and good old-fashioned hospitality. “I always tell people that it’s a party,” she shares. “It’s like my house, and I’m inviting people to come to my house. It’s a party every day.”

Café La Jefa has evolved beyond food and drink. Flannery uses it as a venue to spotlight other small businesses, hosting pop-ups, workshops, and charity events that spotlight local makers and nonprofits. The name, Spanish for “the boss,” speaks to her pride as a Latina entrepreneur and her commitment to showing others what’s possible.