Nowadays, there are a plethora of coffee shops to choose from, with countless chains across the country. But, there’s something special about visiting small businesses – when you frequent a local café, it’s all the more meaningful to know the people behind your daily coffee! As an intern at Café 477, I sat down with owner Shelley Cassar to ask her some questions and chat about their story, purpose, and plans for the future.
First off, how did you come to acquire Café 477 in Encinitas?
The previous owner approached me one afternoon when I was working at Dream Dinners. She explained that she had owned the little café located in the medical center at 477 N. Camino Real for almost 25 years and she was ready to get out of it. She was looking for someone who might be interested in buying it from her, and it just so happened that Stephen had been working to rebuild a coffee plant in Guatemala to make more jobs for the village. The rebuild was done and the coffee plant was up and running, so Stephen and I got to talking and thought it could be a great way to use the coffee beans in our own coffee business. The rest is history!
What inspired you to establish your second location in La Jolla?
Our location in Encinitas had been open for only 6 weeks when we were approached by the general manager from The Campus office buildings, saying that they were looking for someone to open a café and one of their tenants had suggested us. The space had been totally remodeled and we would be the first owners using it. Everything about the opportunity was appealing, especially the idea of being in the heart of the medical building and getting to know everyone in the community.
How would you describe the purpose and mission of Café 477?
We are all about providing quality food at a reasonable price and building relationships with our customers and staff. It’s about a genuine connection with people. When it comes down to it, we’re more than just a business – serving our customers gives us purpose and motivation.
What makes you stand out from other coffee shops?
I think the fact that we know exactly where our coffee comes from is huge. It’s delightful having been a part of bringing a defunct coffee plant back to life, as well as giving jobs and income to an area in Guatemala that was in need. Additionally, we offer a wide variety of fresh-made food in small batches, always made with love.
How has being a family-owned business impacted your success?
Being a family-owned business truly makes the whole interaction more personal with our customers and staff. It feels like we are all in it together and helping each other….we feed them well and they feed us well, so to speak!
What does a typical day in your life look like?
6am: Ordering what we need for the day for each location
7am: Delivering food made at La Jolla to Encinitas
8am: Begin making food, work with staff, and interact with the guests
11am: Deliver more food to Encinitas
12pm: Recipe development and/or admin work
2pm: Work on menu planning for next day and do the shopping
4pm: Go over numbers (food/pastries left and any items that need restocking) from the day and make any adjustments for the remainder of the week
What has been the most rewarding part of owning these cafés?
The most rewarding part of owning these cafés is feeling like I have a purpose and that, in some small way, I am making someone’s day a little better with something yummy to eat and drink. I think of food as my love language, so it’s nice getting to show love to people by providing them with food and coffee.
Do you have any specific plans or goals for the future?
As of now, we’re content with our two locations. There’s so much I’d like to do in the future, but my main goal is to stay in tune to our customers’ needs and continue to make our cafés feel like a “home away from home.”
What words of advice would you give to others aspiring to open up their own café or small business?
The first thing that comes to mind is to take the leap. You’ll never feel 100% ready, and there is so much of this that you can only learn through the process. Be open to what opportunities are appearing to you and take them!
What’s your go-to drink, pastry, and sandwich from Café 477?
My go-to drink would be a simple 2% hot latte, with a Bread & Cie Crumbonne pastry. As for my favorite sandwich, I would say the turkey brie.
If there was one thing you wanted customers to know about you and/or your cafés, what would it be?
Our cafés are a labor of love! It’s truly a family effort, and we are so grateful to support this community and have them support us as well.
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