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The vintage Citroën van at the heart of Craftsman Coffee’s new shop in Pacifica, California. All images courtesy of Craftsman Coffee.
The Craftsman Coffee vintage 1961 Citroën HY van that’s been cruising around Pacifica, California, over the past four years is now permanently parked between the walls of the company’s first brick and mortar cafe.
The La Marzocco Linea Mini espresso machines, Mahlkönig E65S GBW grinder, PUQ Press auto tamper and Curtis batch brewer are still aboard the van, which now serves as a bar inside the breezy 900-square-foot retail shop just two blocks from the ocean.
Within a walkable commercial district with a variety of food options and boutique stores, Craftsman beckons customers through a garage bay door with leafy potted plants, modern furniture and a vintage Pac-Man arcade game.
“I love pops of color, openness, natural light, some whimsy, and a comforting calm,” Craftsman Coffee Co-Founder Judy Hayes told Daily Coffee News. “We had a tiny budget to start off so I did lean hard on ‘mixing highs and lows.’ There is absolutely nothing wrong integrating timeless IKEA furniture together with a gorgeous Galanter & Jones heated bench.”
Hayes, who runs the business with her husband Kirk Hayes, said they intentionally avoided bistro tables and anything that made the space feel boxy or created a “my space, not yours” vibe.
“Seating was designed to be moved around and open, so new and old friends in the community can break bread in the shop,” Judy Hayes said. “It has been working so well. We see so many neighborhood friends connect in the shop.”
Following Kirk Hayes’ home roasting habit, the Hayeses founded Craftsman Coffee in 2017 with a coffee cart and a series of pop-ups. After finding regular slots at a farmers market and craft fairs, the Hayeses jumped into the business full-time, splurging on the Citroën.
“I came upon the Citroën in Europe being outfitted for all things food and beverage. Kirk and I love classic vehicles,” Judy Hayes said. “There was no way I was going to put my vision on a roach coach.”
Over the years roaming Pacifica, the truck would pass by an intriguing San Francisco Boulevard location that has changed hands numerous times over the years.
“The coffee shop was not part of the business plan at all,” said Judy. “I had seen the space be on and off the market for the past two years. Our friends next door at the wine shop alerted us about it. Kirk never goes on intuition, but he believed we could do it and that we needed to do it.”
To support online sales, subscriptions and its wholesale roasted coffee business, Craftsman now works with Izzy Fraire at the 444 roastery in Oakland, who maintains the brand’s signature profiles and can further scale production.
“We have been open for three months and the reception has been 110% happy,” said Judy. “My desire to elevate and provide delicious and approachable coffees to our small beach town has stayed the same. Kirk and I are the coffee mom and dad of the town. We love hosting and taking time to talk to all our customers. It helps make it more human, fills kindness into the world and less seriousness in specialty coffee.”
Craftsman Coffee is located at 1750 Francisco Blvd in Pacifica. Tell DCN’s editors about your new coffee shop or roastery here.
Howard Bryman Howard Bryman is the associate editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. He is based in Portland, Oregon.
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