Coffee and Community Amidst COVID-19
By: Lauren Webber
Like the incessant tides of the ocean, the current national pandemic has caused a ripple of waves to continuously crash over small businesses and the local community. Gone are the afternoon study sessions or hangouts with friends after class or work inside of a coffee house. COVID-19 has caused a tsunami of implications for even the most frequented, local favorites – especially independent coffee shops. Dr. Steve Gerali, founder and owner of Sanctuary Coffee in Claremont stated in a phone interview that students compose 80 percent of their revenue. Gerali continued that summers are typically slow anyways considering the decrease in studies, but with school remaining primarily online this semester and the lack of dine-in in conjunction with the heat, more students have opted to stay home. Tyler Smith, founder and owner of Lucky’s Coffee Roasters in Upland had similar observations of his student clientele. Both business owners stated they have a wide variety of customers that also play a large role in their impacted demographic such as those who work from home, neighbors who enjoy walks or bike rides down to the shop and those who find these local coffee shops a sanction to relax and meet with community. Gerali commented that the decrease in foot traffic has caused a “ripple effect” for Sanctuary Coffee, since the business is a non-profit whose income supports multiple charities and organizations. Both Gerali and Smith have devoted themselves and the business to intentionally serve their communities despite the virus’s opposition:
“So truthfully the hardest part of this pandemic has been trying to keep up with the rules of the pandemic and find the right way to operate that best suites our customers[’] needs.” –Smith
As local business owners such as Gerali and Smith keep the best interests of the community in mind, local consumers can still do their part by supporting these businesses in a variety of fashions. Gerali and Smith both noted that there has been a large increase in bagged coffee sales for at-home brewing as well as customers who purchase coffees in bulk. Lucky’s Coffee Roasters has responded to this demand for more coffee consumption at home by offering “Jumbo Lattes” that one can purchase in a variety of flavors, bases, and combinations—even tea lattes; Gerali encouraged support through gift cards, bulk coffee orders, student discounts with ID’s and an open, outdoor patio with boosted Wi-Fi for studying or work.
The Chaffey Colleges are all located in areas with a surplus of local coffee houses that are in need of support during these unprecedented times. There is a plethora of methods from which to choose from while consuming small business—as Gerali put it:
“National chains are going to survive.”
A college student’s insatiable need for a caffeine fix can be met all the while keeping these local coffee shops afloat—even while studying from home. There are so many thriving, independent shops from which to choose, and it should be our goal to keep it that way.