Razzy Ghomeshi, 36, has given the American dream a new twist. He’s an entrepreneur and a perfectionist who, so far, succeeds brilliantly at whatever he attempts. His latest effort is Navi: Coffee and Flowers, at 3213 Grand Ave. He’s taken a forlorn little space next to CVS and turned it into a stylish and gracious setting for people who want a coffee break in the company of beautiful flower displays, which, in addition to a variety of beverages and pastries, are on sale. The store, open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, made its debut a month ago and is already attracting a following among neighbors and passers-by. That’s exactly what Razzy dreamed of more than a decade ago.
But the route from South Miami to Grand Ave. in Coconut Grove wasn’t direct.
Born and raised in South Miami, Gomeshi comes from a solid Iranian-American family. He did well in school and went to university in St. Louis, where he undertook a triple major in business, international marketing, and finance. He spent one semester in London at a think tank where interns worked with experts doing deep dives on topics related to nonprofit management that demanded critical thinking. He loved it. After graduation, he got a job offer at a major bank in New York City. “I thought New York seemed like a great place to spend two years and learn a lot before coming back to Miami,” he says. Thriving in Wall Street’s high-pressure work environment, he rose early, went to bed late, and landed a job at one of the country’s most prestigious hedge funds. He was living the dream. “Two years turned into about 13,” he says.
While in New York he met his wife, Neela, a New Jersey native from a similar background. Eventually he persuaded her to move with him to Miami, where together, surrounded by a loving family, they now have a three-month-old boy named Rumi.
They share what has become a family-driven business. Navi is named after Razzy’s mother. She’s in charge of the flowers. Neela is a graphic artist who designed the store’s simple but elegant logo. The coffee shop and café was always the dream, Razzy explains. Success on Wall St. was a stop along the way.
“I’ve wanted to open a coffee shop for as long as I can remember in my adult life,” Razzy says. “Being in New York, which is a beautiful city for cafés and coffee shops, constantly reinforced that. I love the idea of being able to sit down and have a conversation with someone over something as simple as a cup of coffee. I said to myself one day I will do it.”
Razzy gets help from the whole family—his wife, his father, his mother, and his sister, an attorney who works at the federal public defender’s office. A big plus is they’re working for free. Instead of seeking investors, Razzy is backing the business himself.
“I always had a very entrepreneurial spirit,” Razzy says. “My major interest is in the world of hospitality and service. My first job out of college was not an entrepreneurial job, nor was it in hospitality. It was a really good job in finance. During my time on Wall Street, I said to myself eventually I’ll do something entrepreneurial. Finally, it happened. When I moved back to Miami, I could feed the entrepreneurial flame. This, Navi, is my first real go at it.”
Razzy and his team have transformed a tiny and completely neutral space (with ample parking behind) into a little oasis of color and liveliness. There are a few seats indoors and an area for socializing near the espresso machine. Outdoors is emerging as an attractive, shaded garden with chairs and benches. He’s already thinking about how to make it livable in Miami’s steamy summers. Fans and misters are on the shopping list.
“I’m amazed by how quickly the neighborhood has embraced this,” Razzy says. “But I have so much left to do. I tell my wife the goal is to plant roots in this neighborhood in this space and for those roots to grow and to put a lot of love into it. But in my mind the roots are only an inch deep. There are certain things you can’t shortcut or fast-track. You have to be there long enough to do what you’re doing consistently. Doing a thousand little things really well, with attention to detail, is how you create a place where people may not be able to put their finger on it, but they feel special.”
