About Us
Mikala and Katreena met at the beginning of their own parenting journeys, quickly bonding over shared experiences and the challenges of raising young children. With a passion for building community, they decided to create a welcoming space in Manitowoc where families can connect, relax, and enjoy a great cup of coffee.
Mikala DeBone
Play Space Manager
and Co-Owner
Born and raised in the U.P, Mikala and Joey met while in high school and have been together ever since. After getting married they made their way to Manitowoc due to career opportunities and quickly fell in love with the community.
Mikala has a strong background in early childhood development, with years of experience working directly with young children and their families. Her deep understanding of the importance of the early years has fueled her passion for creating supportive environments where children can thrive and families can connect. Mikala's expertise and dedication are at the heart of her commitment to fostering a nurturing community in the Manitowoc area.
For the past seven years, Mikala has been a stay-at-home mom, navigating the joys and challenges of raising her children. Throughout this journey, she discovered the vital importance of connecting with other parents to combat the isolation that can often accompany parenthood. Her own experiences have inspired her to help others find the support and community they need during these formative years.
Little Sips Play Cafe was created from that exact experience. A safe place to encourage curious minds who can express their imaginations and a home away from home for parents and guardians can feel like they are part of support system as they navigate their own parenthood journey.
We’re the DeBone Family!
Katreena Powell
Cafe Manager and Co-Owner
Katreena and Steve are both Two Rivers natives and high school sweethearts. Katreena has always dreamed of opening a business of her own, never knowing what kind of business exactly. She fell in love with being a barista in college. This was also when she found out about the importance of fair trade, especially in the coffee industry, through her involvement with International Justice Mission (IJM). Her passion for coffee and promoting social justice in the food industry led her to attend a 3 week trip to Oaxaca, Mexico where she worked on a coffee farm for 2 weeks with a host family. This trip truly opened her eyes to the amount of work it takes to get just one bag of coffee beans. After her experience, she decided that she was going to open a fair trade coffee shop one day.
After college graduation she worked for a year and a half at Lakeshore CAP, but missed being a barista. She knew it was time to start making her coffee dream a reality while also starting a family. Hence, the coffee truck! It provided a perfect way to be mostly a stay at home mom and pursuing a coffee business with fair trade practices.
Fast forward to today! Katreena and Mikala, along with their husbands, are excited to bring Manitowoc County it’s first play cafe. A place where parents and caregivers and truly relax and enjoy high quality fair trade coffee with their children “in tow”.
When she isn’t at the coffee shop, Katreena enjoys spending time with Steve and their two kids Remy and Judah. She loves roller blading, camping/traveling, Harry Potter, playing board games, being outdoors, and serving on her church’s worship team as a drummer.
Hello
from the
Powells!
“We strive to make Little Sips a warm and inviting second home, where families can come together, unwind, and create meaningful connections.”
