'Bachelor' couple Jared Haibon and Ashley Iaconetti talk life after the show
Habion and Iaconetti are owners of Audrey's Coffee House & Lounge in Rhode Island
Jared Haibon and Ashley Iaconetti lived in the "Bachelor" world for many years. Haibon was on "The Bachelorette," while Iaconetti was on "The Bachelor."
Then they went onto spinoff shows like "Bachelor in Paradise." where they met.
They tied the knot in Rhode Island in August 2019. And that's where they put down their roots.
The "Bachelor Nation" stars call Rhode Island home for their family, which now includes baby boy Dawson, and their first business, Audrey's Coffee House & Lounge.
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Haibon is from the Ocean State; Iaconetti is not.
Haibon said that when they first started dating, he was very honest with his future wife that he wanted to end up back in Rhode Island, even if they weren’t going to make the move right away.
Jared Haibon and Ashley Iaconetti put down roots in Rhode Island, where they opened their first business, Audrey's Coffee House and Lounge. (Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)
"I moved to LA, and we said it was going to be a five-year plan," Haibon told Fox News Digital.
"Stay in LA for five years, and if it came to a point where we were doing so well in LA, that we couldn’t move — sure, we’ll stay, but COVID hit. That kind of changed the game a little bit. Everything was over Zoom," he added.
"There was nothing to be done in LA. We were in LA for three and a half years at that point and said, ‘Let's move now instead,'" he added.
Haibon had always worked in the restaurant and hospitality business, so owning a business of his own was something that was always on his radar.
When he saw a building that had previously been a coffee shop was available, he knew it was the perfect time to open a business. It's a coffee shop by day, a lounge by night.
"I moved to LA, and we said it was going to be a five-year plan."
Audrey’s, which is named after Iaconetti’s mother, has elements of "The Bachelor" sprinkled throughout with its decor, which Iaconetti played a large part in putting together and with the events that they host.
The main source of coffee for the business is Generous Coffee, which is owned by another member of "Bachelor Nation," Ben Higgins. Haibon and Iaconetti also hold "Bachelor"-themed events at Audrey’s that pull in many "Bachelor" fans.
Haibon and Iaconetti hold "Bachelor"-themed events at Audrey's, such as watch parties and meet-and-greets with members of the franchise. (Rick Rowell/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
One event that Audrey’s hosts is Monday night watch parties, where two large screens are placed at either side of the coffee shop so fans can come in, grab some food and a drink with their friends and watch the episode. Iaconetti pointed to how invested the fans are who come to watch the show and how the chatter stops as soon as they hit play.
"I feel like people are even more quiet here than they are when they watch with a group of friends in their family room," Iaconetti said. "Everybody really concentrates on it, and it’s pretty cool."
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They also bring members of Bachelor Nation into Audrey’s for meet-and-greet events. They recently had Mike Johnson and Bachelor Nation couple Serena Pitt and Grocery Store Joe come in for events and hope to have Higgins, Dean Unglert and Caelynn Miller-Keyes in for events in the near future.
When it comes to running the business, both Haibon and Iaconetti are hands-on in the day-to-day and are also involved with the company's social media accounts.
Haibon says Iaconetti runs food to tables when it is needed and that he is constantly behind the bar mixing drinks for guests. No matter what needs to be done — dishes, cooking, cleaning, bartending — they're handling it all.
"I think even if we weren’t a part of the 'Bachelor' franchise, just having an owner who's willing to work and do whatever needs to be done makes all the difference any time I go into a place," Haibon said.
Haibon and Iaconetti assist with the day-to-day operations of the coffee shop, such as running food, making drinks, planning events and whatever else needs to be done. (Gregg DeGuire/WireImage)
"He’s definitely the bartender, barista here, and he’s in the kitchen all the time," Iaconetti added.
She referred to herself as taking on a role similar to a "cruise director," in the sense that she puts together events and chose a lot of Audrey’s decor.
The couple has already lived through so many experiences in their lives together and apart.
They both had their own journeys on "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette." Then, they went through a period in which they participated in various spin-off "Bachelor" shows.
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Before settling down with each other, their lives were recorded and put on television.
While they're no longer on these shows, that part of their lives is very much still integrated into their day-to-day. And now more has been added, given their move to Rhode Island, the opening of their coffee shop and the arrival of their baby boy Dawson.
"It definitely to me feels like I live a double-life sometimes," Haibon said while he stood next to his wife, holding Dawson and keeping him entertained, in front of Audrey’s.
Now that they own a business, have a baby boy and are still part of "The Bachelor" world, Haibon and Iaconetti have a lot to balance. (Noel Vasquez/Getty Images)
"We just filmed a commercial for a movie called ‘Where the Crawdads Sing,’ and we were on this Disney backlot, and we had our own trailer," said Haibon.
"They treated us so well, and there was free food and snacks."
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"Lights, camera, action, makeup! It was awesome! I was like ‘Jared I’m living again!" Iaconetti added with excitement.
In the future, the couple would like to open a sports bar. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for WE tv)
"Yeah, we’re getting professional makeup done on us and then literally, two days later, I was in the back [of Audrey’s] packing pickles in a jar. Restocking and then washing dishes and just cleaning," Haibon explained.
Even though Audrey’s and their baby Dawson are their top priorities right now, they still have plans to expand their business somewhere down the line.
"We would love to do a sports bar," Haibon said.
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"Audrey’s is named after my mom. We think it would be cool to kind of name a place after each of our parents … That would be for our future, though," Iaconetti added.
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