Love of coffee is spreading A HEAPING HILL OF BEANS
OCEAN PARK BLVD. — For freelance copy-writer Ken Pappanduros, The Talking Stick Coffee Lounge has become one of his favorite places to create.
He can typically be found sitting at one of the shop’s funky, wooden tables, with laptop and iPod in tow, deep in thought as he tries to conjure up the latest catch phrase. When he has writer’s block, he goes online and surfs the Internet until inspiration strikes.
“I love this place,” Pappanduros said last week, sipping on a double, non-fat latte. “It’s really a fixture in the community. The people here have built up a loyal following and a lot of that, I think, is because they take the time to get to know their customers. Whenever I come in, (the staff) knows what I want to drink... It’s one of those places that I walk to even though there’s three other coffeeshops closer to my house. I just like this place.”
Pappanduros and other loyal customers were shocked, and saddened, to learn that The Talking Stick will be closing its doors in June.
The coffeehouse, which has become a hot spot for local artists and musicians to test out their material and sell their wares, is being forced to pack up and move by its landlord, the David J. O’Keefe trust, which is planning a major renovation of the space and two other adjacent businesses before turning the property into the Thyme Café and Market, a coffeehouse/boutique.
Representatives from the trust could not be reached for comment.
Talking Stick owners Sheri and Rich Braaksma, who started the non-profit café four years ago as an extension of their church, are not sure if they will be able to relocate in Santa Monica or a neighboring community given the high rents and costs involved in renovating a new space.
“This might be the final chapter for The Talking Stick,” said Rich Braaksma, who moved to Venice with his wife and children from Canada to teach Bible studies. “We’re still open to everything. We’re trying to be With the popularity of coffee continuing to soar — Americans consumed roughly $19 billion worth of java last year — there is hope amongst supporters that The Talking Stick will be able to survive, in one form or another.
Customers are disappointed that the Braakmas have to go, but are somewhat relieved that another independent coffeehouse will take its place instead of a large chain like Starbucks or Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Within five miles of The Talking Stick, there are more than 70 such coffee chain establishments.
“If it’s not meant to be, then we will move on to something else.” — creative and just keep our eyes open for an opportunity. WHEN YOU COME IN YOU DON’T HAVE THIS SENSE OF BEING PART OF THE CORPORATE TREADMILL.” Marshall Rockwell Customer of the Talking Stick
“The people here are just nicer (at independent coffeehouses),” customer Marshall Rockwell said.“When you come in you don’t have this sense of being part of the corporate treadmill... (The Talking Stick is) really supportive of community artists and musicians.”
On Tuesdays, women gather for their “Stitch and Bitch” knitting sessions. On Wednesdays, the coffeehouse hosts an open mic night, with live performances continuing on into the weekend.
Joe DeRupo, a spokesman for the National Coffee Association, said there is hope for The Talking Stick and other independents like it. Since the late ’90s, the association has seen a considerable spike in the sheer numbers of people who regularly partake in a cup of joe, with major chains being the byproduct of a new coffee culture.
“We are experiencing a coffee renaissance,” DeRupo said. “Coffee is no longer a single beverage. There are now a host of options and people are responding vigorously. Coffee has become more than just something to wake you up in the morning. It has become a treat, a social outlet, a reason to get together with friends.
“It is playing a bigger role in people’s lives.”
And with that comes along opportunities for entrepreneurs like the Braaksmas.
“The way people are behaving, it appears that there is plenty of room in the market-place for many players,” DeRupo said. “People have such varied tastes and are responding so vigorously. There seems to almost be this insatiable appetite for more, with people craving variety. I think that bodes well for smaller coffeehouses as well as the larger chains.”
As for the Braaksmas, the thought of closing down is hard to swallow, only because they are concerned about their employees and their customers, all of whom have become like a family.
The two chose to call it “The Talking Stick” after the Native American tradition in which tribes would use a stick, feather or other object to show respect for the power of the spoken word. Whomever held the stick would have the freedom and power to say what was in their heart without fear of reprisal or humiliation.
“It’s definitely a community here, a fellowship,” said Sheri Braaksma.“We set it up as a non-profit because we wanted it to be more about the exchange of ideas than about it being a business. We’ve been happy that people have found this place to be somewhere they can come and feel comfortable expressing themselves.
“We’re happy that we’ve survived this long and now we will just have to wait and see what the future holds.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 5, 2007. Read the original PDF.