After School Coffee House was never supposed to happen this fast. What started as a small home pop-up between childhood friends has now become one of the DMV’s most recognizable matcha pop-ups, built almost entirely through instinct, persistence, and community.
After School Coffee House was never supposed to happen this fast. What started as a small home pop-up between childhood friends has now become one of the DMV’s most recognizable matcha pop-ups, built almost entirely through instinct, persistence, and community.
For founder Deanna Weise, the idea began long before the name “After School” existed. Reconnecting with her childhood friend and business partner, Michelle Vo, sparked it all. The two bonded over their love for coffee shops, not just the drinks, but the feeling. “We loved the vibes, the aesthetics, everything about coffee shops,” Deanna says.
At first, they created a small Instagram page documenting cafés they visited, almost like their own version of Yelp. Then the idea evolved. What if they created a coffee experience themselves?
The pair had no background in hospitality or running a business. Deanna works a corporate job. Michelle has her own responsibilities. Still, they started anyway, hosting homemade pop-ups out of Deanna’s house under the name “Weise Witch House,” a nod to her love for Halloween aesthetics.
“We didn’t know anything,” she laughs. “I was like, what’s a business license?”
But that lack of experience never stopped them. Instead, it forced them to learn in real time.
After School’s first major shift came after a local influencer's video unexpectedly blew up online. Suddenly, businesses started reaching out. Pilates studios. Boutiques. Brands. Events stacked on top of events, and Deanna found herself saying yes to almost everything.
What separates After School from a traditional coffee shop is that the brand has never been about matcha alone. It was about the atmosphere and the collaboration that goes with it. “Anybody can run a cart,” Deanna says. “But you’ve got to build the community behind it.”
That philosophy became even clearer during one of After School’s most chaotic moments.
At a summer pop-up in the Mosaic District, a viral TikTok sent lines wrapping around the building. The small team sold out in just two hours. Some customers were understanding. Others were furious after waiting hours for a drink and demanded vouchers.
Instead of reacting emotionally, Deanna adapted.
She apologized sincerely, reorganized operations, hired more help, and turned the chaos into a blueprint for growth. “Everybody has their role now,” she explains. “One person takes orders. One person whisks matcha. One person bar-backs.”
That willingness to improve is what keeps After School evolving.
Even now, while balancing motherhood, marriage, a full-time corporate career, and a rapidly growing business, Deanna remains deeply hands-on. She still shoots most of the brand’s photos herself. Still answers DMs. Still obsesses over the details.
And while a storefront may come eventually, she is in no rush. For now, After School thrives in motion.
