Nicole Joy serves coffee and specialty drinks from her I Love You A Latte coffee cart converted from an old horse trailer

Drinks 2024 | Edible Notables

Barista on Wheels

I Love You A Latte serves drinks from a converted horse trailer.

written by Christina Nellemann
photos by Donna Victor

After being raised by a wedding planner mother and working as both an event coordinator and a bartender, it seemed inevitable that Nicole Joy would go on to work in the wedding industry.

However, she may not have envisioned towing the essentials of her business around in the back of a horse trailer.

Joy, the owner of I Love You A Latte in Gardnerville, decided that a 1970s horse trailer that had been sitting on her motherโ€™s property would make a bold statement at any event.

โ€œWe remodeled the trailer into a little coffee cart, and I went to my first bridal fair; it took off,โ€ Joy says. โ€œEveryone loved it and thought it was so adorable and different.โ€

Horse Hay to Lattes
With the help of a local engineer, Joy and her mother, Daisy Bankofier, converted the horse trailer into a mobile beverage cart that offers specialty coffee and novelty drinks at weddings, birthday parties, corporate occasions, and pop-up events.

The duo added a pop-out window and cut a piece of reclaimed wood to use as a service shelf. The storage area that once held feed for animals now contains all the accoutrements for a self-service beverage station.

โ€œThere are lots of fun ingredients that you can add,โ€ Joy says. โ€œFor the coffee, this includes sprinkles, marshmallows, cinnamon, and little Pirouettes (cookies) to go with it. Itโ€™s attractive and fun and interactive for guests.โ€

I Love You A Latte doesnโ€™t just sell coffee. Specialty drinks such as fresh lemonade with fruit purรฉes and syrups, Italian cream sodas, and flavored and bubble teas also are available.

โ€œThatโ€™s what I specialize in,โ€ Joy says, โ€œjust a different, fun novelty that makes a memorable impression for your guests.โ€

Joyโ€™s trailer is available for a flat fee and can be hired for events; customers simply pay up front for all their own coffees or specialty drinks. She also offers both large and small party packages.

โ€œWe are really focused on making our part of your special day personalized,โ€ Joy says. โ€œWe want to include little details about you and make it super special for you and your guests. Thatโ€™s what we enjoy most about what we do.โ€

I Love You A Latte
775-790-6345 ยท Iloveyoualattenv.com


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