Friday, March 18, 2005

UPDATED: California's Coffee House up and running at 1515 E. Market

(20 March update: Go here to see the building, interior and exterior, before it was remodeled into California's Coffee House.)

There’s something vaguely “big city” about a coffee shop in downtown New Albany that proposes to stay open more than 30 hours a week.

Are we worthy?

Thanks to a "now open" tip from Brandon Smith, it came to pass that Mrs. Confidential and I stopped by California’s Coffee House at 1515 E. Market Street.

We find it very much to our liking … and only a few blocks from the homestead, no less.

The brick and beam interior of the 130-year-old commercial building has been extensively reworked, part of it done by the previous owners (who briefly ran The Seed Gallery there in 2003-04), and the remainder by the current owners, Rey and Valeria Espinosa.

It can’t be termed a completely faithful restoration, but it is comfortable, and the ambience is ideal for a coffee shop. There’s an upstairs room that would be good for meetings (East Spring Neighborhood Association, take note), although access is by stairs only.

Street parking (three marked spaces) is on Market, and also there are parking places behind the building. A drive-through window is being installed.

California’s offers specialty coffee and espresso-based drinks (cappuccino, etc.), pastries (carrot cake, sweet rolls), salads, sandwiches and appetizers (including tamales and chicken wings).

They seemed surprised that I prefer espresso by the “shot,” but served a proper double espresso on command. If you’re a “shot” espresso drinker like me, you may have to clarify this point when ordering.

The coffee house will be open seven days a week:

Mon. – Thur. 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Sat. 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Valeria originally hails from California and Rey from Mexico City, and before moving here, they lived in San Francisco, hence the bridge on the logo. In case you were wondering how the Espinosas came to New Albany, it is because of their church: Christ Gospel Church in Jeffersonville.

We were delighted by our visit, and recommend that you give this place a chance.

Coming after a warm and sunny day, afternoon conversation at Destinations Booksellers, the continuing abatement of my recent illness and another excellent meal at Federal Hill Café, the espresso was indeed encouraging.

10 comments:

All4Word said...

Let me add my own endorsement. This is great news and the menu is more than adequate. I had a late snack (a moist chicken-pork tamale) and a double-shot cappu.

Ann and I (and a few other local folks) eyed that building as a possible bookstore site, and I'm just pleased to see it being used so fully and pleasantly.

There's plenty of room for a new independent business in town, and Rey and Valeria's commitment on store hours is a wonderful development. Now, Ann and I will have a regular place to hang out after our own long days wind down.

I didn't ask, but I certainly hope they'll be bold enough to make it a non-smoking establishment.

Show them a big welcome; stop by and buy yourself a muffin and a coffee today.

All4Word said...

You know, I think I'll get supper there tomorrow night (take-out is available) and then stop by again after work just to hang out.

edward parish said...

Anyone know of where they are getting their beans and roasting procured? So nice to have a coffee spot on this side of town...

The New Albanian said...

Well, Joe, "The first McDonald's drive-thru window opened in Sierra Vista, Arizona, on January 24, 1975."

Actually, I'm glad you asked. They're putting the drive-through window on 16th just as it meets E. Market, but 16th remains (to my knowledge) a two-way street.

For someone to be traveling eastbound on Market and swing a quick left on 16th to sidle up to the drive-through could easily mean a head-on collision with southbound traffic on 16th.

Ed - No, I didn't catch the bean and roasting sources.

jon faith said...

Had my first dbl espresso yesterday after leaving the funeral home, given my attire I was asked whether i worked int he area. N adn I went back this a.m. and were planning to take the tImes there for tomorrow. N had to show off and wax espanol but I like th eplace. A few questions: roger, were you serve din a paper cup? Were there any other customers? Were they playing religious music while you were there? My own experiences tally: yes, no and yes
I hope they make it and will do my best to facilitate such. cheers - jon

The New Albanian said...

Jon, to answer your questions:

Paper cup? Yes. As I inferred previously, they seem not to have considered that anyone would want straight shots; odd, but obviously correctable.

Other customers? Yes - some teenagers were upstairs. There did not seem to be spillover from the 1960's (a.k.a., Lancaster's).

Religious music? Yes. I admit this unnerved me a bit. We'd just been to Federal Hill, where there's no music at all. It also was a bit strange to see the Shaklee catalogs scattered about, but like you, I'm so happy that there's an espresso machine nearby that I'm willing to look the other way.

All4Word said...

These folks are strongly connected to their church...strongly...which is a great thing...but they made their upper room available Saturday evening for a church event...which is a perfectly acceptable way to a)use the space they own and perhaps, b)cover the expense of the space during what are sure to be these lean times.

We expected the sparse traffic we've seen during year one and accommodated it financially. But if we had space available to rent, we'd compromise on the bookstore ambience to help make ends meet.

And FYI, we made it known from the beginning that we would allow a growing house church to use our bookstore on Sunday mornings or evenings as a meeting place.

I don't know if Rey and Valeria were just hosting an open house or if the church will be meeting there regularly, but I doubt seriously if it's going to be an overtly evangelistic business.

Rey is a Shaklee distributor, but that's in the mainstream of the immigrant entrepreneurial tradition. Heck, for all I know, they'll find three dozen income streams. It's the American Way.

You know, we pretty much eschew the background music thing at our store, but I'd never pretend that's the only way to go.

Light jazz, Christian contemporary, or funeral dirges...it's a personal choice. I wouldn't worry until your're asked at checkout if you know Jesus as your personal savior, and even then, it's just a question, right?

edward parish said...

Randy it is a coffee house. And no don't ever ask me that question.

The New Albanian said...

Brandon, so it definitely is non-smoking? I forgot to ask during my visit.

We're getting ready to plunge into the smoking debate once again at work. I don't look forward to it, as it's more divisive a topic than politics and religion together.

I personally want to be rid of it, but easily half our customers smoke, and so do 3/4 of the employees. I'm telling you, it's hard, hard, hard.

The New Albanian said...

Joe, at least in good weather we can sit outside on Unter den Market Street, smoke, and not hear the music at all.

As noted previously, the music seems the least threatening thing to me, since I seldom like what's playing anywhere I go. For instance, my bank is fond of playing country hit FM whatnot.

As Randy has noted, the owners seem like very pleasant people who are serious about their religion. Unlike some of my friends, I would tolerate one attempt at evangelizing ... but not two, but I'm not sure we need worry about this.

Telling how the thread developing here has had to do with religious issues as potential deal breakers, and not issues of ethnic diversity. Me thinks the Wizard of Westside might well see the equation differently.

Bottom line: Nice place, nice poeple, good coffee, five minute walk from home.

Even though I have an espresso machine at home, California's srtikes me as a comfortable place to waste a few minutes out of the house while strolling.

And Joe, remember that when the weather gets nicer, we can have these talks on the front porch ... with coffee.