downtown la

Why Handsome Coffee Roasters 1 year Anniversary is important to LA

C2O Editor Citizens, Food, Places anthony carnazzo, arts district, bonnie tsang, christopher owens, community, donny tsang, downtown la, handsome coffee roasters, hospitality, michael phillips, tyler wells 3

This past Saturday the team at Handsome Coffee Roasters celebrated their one year anniversary. As anyone that follows small business will tell you ” they say, the first year is the toughest”. if that is cause for any new business to celebrate then this one is especially significant to the Angeleno. Handsome Coffee Roasters immediately became one of the central hubs of the downtown Arts District area. There are other coffee shops around, sure, but none with the same community impact as HCR. Anthony Carnazzo, the General Manager of Handsome, spare a few moments from hosting the night to chat with me. I came to realize that impact of their coffee shop on the community is by no means accidental. fd;gkfl;kf

HandsomeRoasters9 — photo: Redbullusa.com

If you were to stop by the anniversary party you would basically encounter two types of people; 50% are people that frequent Handsome and 50% of the people were there to party and find out about it. It was a gathering of familiar faces and an opportunity to strike up a conversation with someone you have always thought was interesting but didn’t want to disturb their work or reading. It felt more like a house party than something put on by a business. That is because the boys at Handsome Coffee Roasters know how to create a comfortable space, ” We are helping to be architects of the art centered community.” , says Carnazzo. ”

It is not just a place where you can sit in a cool space and grab a great cup of joe. This coffee shop has the deliberate intention of being a central hub of the are it is in and a fixture of the local environment. Instead of being pressured to make space for the next customer after finishing their coffee, guests are routinely greeted by baristas to see how the coffee was and share conversation. Anthony explains, “We let people stay here all day if they want. Even if they only purchasing one cup of coffee.”

This type of service has certainly turned into what looks like a successful business model. I was able to speak with Michael Philips on the following Sunday. Mike is one of the co-founders and a world champion barista. ” On a monday, you could hear 3 different meetings going on here. A group talking about a new real estate project, another, about some creative collaboration, and a third, having a discussion about some non-profit or charity.”, Mike said. Even as I sat on sunday I heard 3 languages being spoken at my table besides english. And it wasn’t just the local artist in there as well. The clientele runs the social and economic gambit of the local landscaper, downtown business man, and coffee tourist looking to quench their curiosity.

7184142828_358ced6a46_b — photo: Patrick Watcher

In speaking with Anthony I come to find how the care has been placed into the shop, “We see ourselves as a hospitality company, peering through the lens of coffee.” Anthony, has a background in hospitality himself, and after dabbling in finance, insurance, and even real estate, found that cultivating people connection is where his true passion lies,”We’ve got a focused menu,and have taken out some of the dismissive and condescending nomenclature of the coffee language.” Instead of calling things “tall”, “grande” and other uncommon vernacular, they offer a 30z, 5oz, and 10oz espresso with milk and straight brewed coffee.

The continuing of a business that is chasing more than profit, but is adding to the fabric of the landscape is cause for the city to celebrate indeed. It should be the goal of every business to participate in, and improve upon their community in what ever space and capacity they operate.

Make a wish Handsome Coffee, happy birthday. Los Angeles is right there with you singing.

Handsome Coffee Roasters

582 Mateo Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013

Hours:
M – F 7 am to 6 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am to 6 pm

1963 Studebaker Avanti

C2O Editor Conversation Pieces arts district la, cars, classic autos, downtown la, studebaker avanti 0

Spotted: 544 Mateo, Downtown, Los Angeles

Groceries Apparel : Locals Only Sale

C2O Editor Places benson backpacks, chateau relaxo, dear raymer, downtown la, falling whistles, good hyouman, gotta dance dirty, groceries apparel, jac vanek, jared tate, laeken, turbo t double 2

In the land of glitz and glamour it can be hard to find substance in our social climate. Too many people trying to make a quick buck at the cost of others and shortchanging customers with inadequate product. Groceries Apparel operates out of the Arts District in downtown L.A. and along with their network of counterpartsthey are doing what they can to change that.

Like a rose out of concrete, the Groceries’ Locals Only Sale Showcases So-Cal Brands and music on a semi-sunny day seemingly sprung on short notice. Matt Boelk, one of the partners at Groceries admits it was a trial attempt but they were none-the-less pleased with the results. The event was held at their factory where they welcomed over a dozen brands, live music, and food. What made the event special was not only the product and the party but the fact that it wasn’t just another hip thing to be seen at in L.A.

There was no shortage of beautiful people but it wasn’t superficial. Brands like Falling Whistles, an accessory company that participates in human rights activism for peace was present. Also Benson Backpacks, who devotes some of their profits to children’s education initiatives in Tanzania was a featured vendor. A portion of the proceeds from the Groceries sale went to support the Midnight Mission that operates out of downtown, just a few blocks from the factory.

On another note, the music was nothing to be overlooked. Performances by Turbo T Double, an underground rapper based in Los Angeles by way of Louisiana, and Gondola, a newly formed folky-rock group provided the soundtrack to shop to. Turbo always delivers a quality performance and was more than inviting when approached for photo. Drew Brandmeier, the lead singer and guitarist from Gondola was charming as well.

I can’t help but ask myself, “I am supposed be at a trendy fashion event, right? Or is this something else?” It seems that there is hope for Los Angeles to be more than exporter of fad diets and Hollywood buzz. There is hope for the fashion industry to be more than a purveyor of superficial concepts of beauty. There is hope for us as people to collectivize and build a better world while building our businesses. This wasn’t a trendy fashion event, but more like a community gathering of like minded people who are using their business smarts, creativity ,and style as a vehicle for change.

From what I hear this isn’t the last sale they are going to be having, and I will make sure to advise details on the next one. Think about where you shop, and think about who you are, the two may not be as misaligned as we think.

P1030399 — Stevie from Gotta Dance Dirty

Screen shot 2011-12-20 at 8.12.20 PM — Willa w/ a Benson Backpack

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Tale of Two Seats

C2O Editor Conversation Pieces chairs, downtown la, hill st courthouse, pacific design center, west hollywood 0

Brown chair sits in downtown LA across from the Hill St. Courthouse, behind LA market. Made of wood.

Silver chair basks in the West Hollywood sun on the corner of Melrose , in front of Pacific Design Center. Stainless steel.

You wonder if these two were separated at birth. On opposite ends of the city, the people that see these pieces on a daily basis couldn’t be more different from an economic standpoint.

People that see the west side chair use iPhones, the downtown chair onlookers use pay phones.

Art is every where in LA.

It begs the question, is the design of the chairs in relation to their surroundings coincidental?

Think about it while you enjoy.